A week ago, we gave our sweet cat, Emmie, back to God. If you have gone through a similar situation of losing an animal, you know how grueling this experience can be. Then again, you could be one that doesn’t get why someone would be so upset over losing an animal. One of my dearest friends is like that. Not more than a month ago I was sitting in her home when she shared these exact sentiments with me. So, when last Sunday morning came and my husband and I were sitting in the veterinary hospital, reeling in pain over what was happening at that very moment, I hesitated to text her for prayer. But because she’s my praying friend, I texted. She texted right back, “Will be praying for ya’ll throughout the day!” Her encouraging words and commitment settled on me and brought me enough strength to make it through.
That night, after a day that seemed never ending, I texted her a thank you for her prayers. I let her know that I was especially grateful that she was faithfully praying even though she didn’t understand our circumstance. She texted me back words that I will never forget. “I may not understand but I certainly care about all of you and what grieves you, grieves me!!” Those words hit me so hard. They are powerful. “What grieves you, grieves me.” That night my friend taught me what a true praying friend is in Christ. A true friend sees the other person as Christ sees them. My friend was not so concerned with the circumstances of our situation as she was with us getting through it. She had God’s compassion, God’s empathy, for my family.
Growing up, one of the lessons my mother taught me was to ask God to help me see others the way He sees them. It’s a viewpoint that has been useful in dealing with individuals who have hurt me. I’ve learned that when a person hurts someone else, it’s many times because they are hurting inside. But my friend took this concept a step further. She showed me that to best pray for someone, we need to ask God to help us see their heart through His eyes. Their situation could never be as important as the their heart. God wants to hear our prayers for each other. He delights in our hearts connecting. When a crisis arises, He already knows the situation. He already knows the details. He wants to hear our prayers for each other. This was evident with my friend. She grieved to God for our hearts. And because of her heart of empathy and compassion, God heard her prayers and we are healing. So, when you pray for a friend, ask God to connect you with their heart. Then watch how God works to strengthen them.