Other's Prayers

I love those "light bulb" moments when I get it! Today in reading Philippians 1 verse 19, I realized the importance of the prayers of others. Sometimes I feel like people ask me to pray because they are too lazy or don't believe God hears them. Sometimes I feel guilty asking people to pray for me for whatever reason I feel guilty.

A conversation last night with someone who is praying for their brother who is struggling with depression reinforced today's verse. Sometimes we pray for people because they don't know to be praying for themselves. Sometimes we pray to strengthen their prayers. Sometimes we pray for others because God just wants us to, and lays them on our hearts.

Paul mentions his constant prayers for those in Philippi and notes his faith in how God will answer their prayers for him in prison. If Paul welcomed and embraced the prayers of others for himself, I need to shed myself of the guilt I sometimes feel. And as God lays others on my heart, I know He's laying me on someone else's heart in the same way.