Why Do We Ask Others to Pray?

Q:My question has to do with the idea of asking others to pray for whatever. I follow several Christian social media groups, for example. I find myself overwhelmed by the requests for prayer, often for “Unspoken needs” as “God knows.” I have been dealing with a serious cancer for 5 years and I know the prayers of many have been pivotal.
On the other hand, I find myself wondering why we ask others to pray when we are able to pray for our concerns ourselves.

Answer

When you give, pray, and fast, Jesus explicitly tells us to serve God without acclaim. God calls us to bear one another’s burdens. One of the ways we do this is through prayer on their behalf. Your prayers somehow help the gospel expand. You don’t need to be overwhelmed by a prayer list.

Mentioned:

Matthew 6:6, Galatians 6:2, 2 Thessalonians 3:1, Colossians 1:9-10

For more episodes of Ask Dr. E, click here.

Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at question@michaelincontext.com.