So last night I read a page from a Fancy Nancy story and it made me think about a prayer 🙏🏽 I prayed.

Before I tell this story I want to let you know that it is the job of believers to pray for people (in general) as well as to pray for one another (other believers)

James 5:16 NLT

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Matthew 5:44 NLT

But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!

Ephesians 6:18 NLT

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

True Story:

(Don’t judge me! 😆)

Stupid vs. Blind

I was upset with the actions of an individual and prayed that God would remove the spirit of stupid from them because the things they were doing were just that, STUPID! I had no other words regarding praying🧎‍♀️for them and could only pray these words about the situation. It sounds soo hilarious 🤣 to me now but I was so serious when I prayed these words. In my eyes 👀 I couldn’t see how the person could actually think that what they were doing was sensible, they just couldn’t.

When I pray sincerely and whole heartedly for an individual following the prayer God will always either give me peace in my heart about this individual or speak words/confessions of faith over their life to my heart that I then repeat as a declaration for them.

When I prayed this particular prayer God didn’t do this.

I left the situation alone for a while and one day while walking to the bus stop 🚏 with Eli, God put in my heart the words that I needed to pray for the person. He said that they are blind in this area, they don’t have experience, an example nor do they seek my instructions on how this is supposed to go. My heart was immediately softened towards that person and I was able to pray compassionately (even with tears)and sincerely for them regarding this. The peace of God came over my heart proceeding this prayer.

You see, these words in this story remind me of my prayer and it reminds me of so much more.

When you think about it Fancy Nancy didn’t like jellyfish because she had been stung by one before. She didn’t think to consider all of the things they did not have (a heart, eyes, bones, ears etc) as to why they would sting her. The jellyfish stung Fancy Nancy as a way to defend itself. When she realized that jellyfish just don’t know any better she was able to be more open to liking/accepting them.

The same concept goes for us. We as humans would quicker help a blind person than someone that we think is just irresponsible or unwise in an area. The reason behind this is pretty simple, we have more grace for the person that is blind than the one who is just, smh 🤦🏽‍♀️🙄. Isn’t this true? We don’t consider all the factors that may play a role in an individuals thinking (like their upbringing, history/past, level of maturity etc.). We’d rather completely ignore them than pray for them because they are just, 🤦🏽‍♀️🙄😤🤯! …👀

But God wants us to have compassion and give grace to everyone, including those that just don’t know any better!

Jesus is our go-to person when we want to refer to someone’s example on how we should respond regarding any topic.

Here’s how he responded during the time of his crucifixion (While under trial He was sentenced to a death by crucifixion which were both credited to the demands of a crowd):

Luke 23:26-34

The Crucifixion

As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women. But Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are coming when they will say, ‘Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.’ People will beg the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and plead with the hills, ‘Bury us.’ For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.

Here Are A Few Things to Note:

Some of our prayers may not be answered by God because of our heart posture towards the situation or person involved.

Prayers 🙏🏽 should be prayed with sincerity and compassion for others.

The truth is that we are all blind in one area or another, and we are all in need of prayer in order to change these areas.

2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT

Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.