A note from Kelly King: If you’ve struggled with what or how to pray for women who are hurting, today’s article from Kaye Hurta provides some practical ways you can pray. I’m often reminded that prayer is the main work we can “do” for someone in need. Let’s not flippantly say we’ll pray for women who are hurting. Let’s pray fervently and with the confidence of knowing there is great power in interceding for others.
In my role as Lifeway Event Counselor, I have said these words hundreds, if not thousands of times, “How can I pray for you?” I do not take it lightly when I stand before someone who is hurting and speak those six critical words of hope, “How can I pray for you?” These are words of hope because by asking them, we are saying in essence, “I believe there is help for you, hope for you, and healing for you, and I know Who can provide it.”
There is tremendous power in prayer. I know you know. Prayer is our access to the Father; it is intimate conversation with the One who loves us most and knows us best. I know you know. Prayer can move mountains, change nations, heal hearts, uncover wounds, reveal sin, and well, so much more. I know you know. Through prayer we wage war, win battles, and work out our problems. I know you know.
Knowing this as we do, may I encourage us all as ministers to hurting women to activate and engage prayer as a tool to provide help, hope, and healing? May I encourage us to say daily, “How can I pray for you?” As we do, let’s also do the following:
- Pray Scripture over someone’s past, pain, and wounding.
- Pray with authority as given to us in Christ.
- Pray boldly and with faith, hope, and love.
- Pray risky prayers that ask for complete healing or restoration.
- Pray surrendered prayers that trust God with all outcomes.
- Pray persistently, continually, and without ceasing.
- Pray out loud with one another, not just for one another.
- Pray by waiting and listening with expectancy.
Psalm 5:2-3 says this, “Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly” (NIV).
It has been my experience that when we ask, wait, listen, and repeat, God is faithful to answer. When you are hurting and busy trying to “fix” the problem, it is easy to forget that prayer is your most powerful tool in your belt. Sometimes the pain is so great, it is difficult to pray. For this reason, the six critical words of hope you can offer someone who is hurting are, “How can I pray for you?” When you ask it, please listen well and pray boldly!
Kaye Hurta has a Masters Degree in counseling from Liberty University and is a crisis counselor for Women’s Events through Lifeway Christian Resources. Whether speaking, singing, or listening, Kaye’s passion is to help others find intimacy with Christ and soul transformation through the living pages of His Word. Kaye met and married her husband Chris in Austin, Texas in 1987. They have two daughters through the miracle of adoption, Madison and Cami. They live in the Chicago burbs where they are both on staff at Willow Creek Community Church. Kaye is also a contributing author for the Lifeway resource, Women Reaching Women in Crisis.