Prayer requests - chronic illness

This is another post about practical ways that we can support others in prayer.  I felt the Spirit was guiding us to pray for other people, both Christians and unbelievers, in very practical and helpful ways.

Folks with chronic illness (and some with terminal conditions) suffer more than people may see on the surface. Many times it is a struggle to go on with daily living; they may even "lose the faith" at times.

When people are constantly dealing with pain, it can affect every single thing in their lives. Prayer can make dealing with the disappointments and depression easier to bear. And the prayers of others can be lifelines. If we partner with someone who is chronically ill, or dealing with chronic pain, we may not know what to ask God for. 

Instead of just murmuring some "please help them" prayers, let's try to cover our friends or family members with prayers in two areas: family and feelings.

I know a person who suffers greatly with rheumatoid arthritis. Her husband knows when she needs comfort, and when she needs rest - and he also knows that sometimes she just needs to soldier on. He guides and prays for her to have discernment on which opportunities she should accept - so that she doesn't take on too much and become overwhelmed. Her children are loving and pick up the chores that their mom can't handle. What a blessing to have family like that!

But not everyone has a support system like that. Their families may not fully understand and may expect more than the patient can do. The patient himself or herself may feel guilty because of their inability to do needed tasks. Or they may feel guilt because of the financial burden that often accompanies chronic illness.

Other family issues can be that spouses and children feel helpless; they are frustrated because they can't "fix" the problem for the person they love. Or they might give in to feelings of neglect because they don't get the attention they want. 

For all of these issues, we can intercede on the behalf of the person who is ill, and on behalf of the families . . . . we can ask God to guard their hearts and give them special grace.  We don't know what happens behind the doors of their home; the best thing we can do is pray both for the patient and the family. They may not express it openly, but they need compassion, love, support, and kindness as they face the days ahead.

Let's pray.