Scripture Reading: James 5:16; Psalm 126:5-6
Key Scripture: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” — James 5:16 (KJV)
Devotional Reading
There are many things we can complain about.
We can complain about our finances, our families, our businesses, our children’s education, difficulties in society.
But complaining does not have the power to heal these situations. But prayer does.
James gives us the divine approach: “Pray one for another, that ye may be healed.”
This is particularly important because many of the difficulties believers experience are not permanent conditions. They are “faults” – areas that are not functioning according to God’s intention.
These may be lack, weakness, failure, spiritual attack, closed doors, families struggling. We can pray.
Prayer brings us into partnership with God so that we can respond to these situations according to His will and power.
The church must therefore move from being a community that merely talks about problems to being a community that takes problems to God, get the solutions, and implement them.
Imagine what would happen if every believer began contributing his or her own “quota of prayerfulness” to the body of Christ:
- The sick would be healed.
- The weak would be strengthened.
- The discouraged would be encouraged.
- The struggling would be helped.
- The fallen would be restored.
- The church would become increasingly healthy.
It is time to stop complaining and start praying.
Personal Reflection
- What situation have I spent more time complaining about than praying about?
Life Application
- Identify one situation that has been a source of repeated complaint and deliberately replace your complaint with focused prayer.
- Faith Confession: I will not be dominated by complaints. I will pray. My prayers are effective because I have been made righteous through Christ. As I pray according to God’s will, I expect divine intervention.
Prayer Points
- Father, let my prayers bring healing and restoration.
- Make me a source of strength to others.