Praying

When I hear about someone who is sick or who has died, my immediate reaction is to say a prayer.  When people are sick, I pray for them to get well, that's an easy one.  When I hear people are dying, I pray for them to feel comfort and peace, and I pray for their family members to also feel comfort and peace and understanding and calmness.  When people have died, I pray for them to find their way home to God and for their family to feel the love of God in this difficult time.  I'm not an "expert" in praying so I try to keep it simple.  I will ask for things sometimes, for me and for other people, but usually I keep it to intangible things like peace, love, understanding, and comfort.  I pray for people I know and for strangers too.  I know there are many studies on the "power of prayer" and how it can have benefits for people, either for the people doing the praying or for those who are the subject of the prayer.  I'm not sure what exactly what those benefits are, but I know that praying brings me comfort too; when people are sick or dying and you don't know what to do, sometimes the only thing I can think of is to say a prayer.   Those times can be overwhelming and it is something I can turn to when I can think of nothing else.

I also thank God for the good things in my life and it ranges from my family to the freedom of my country to the fresh air I breathe.  I don't take for granted all of the blessings I have, and I think it is just as important to say a prayer for the good things, and not just when you're asking for something (even when that thing is for someone else).

On a separate and related note, I always want to tell people I am praying for them, but I usually don't say it.  I find so many people are not really "into" faith and religion that I don't know what they would think if I said I would be praying for them.  But I always do say a prayer. And for those people who don't "believe", I say an extra prayer for them that they will still feel the love of God, even if they don't know what it is, but if they have peace in their hearts, I wish that for them.

If you're not sure how to pray, just speak from your heart, there is no wrong way to do it.  Thank God for your blessing, and "let your requests be known unto God" (Philippians 4:6).

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. John 14:1