WHEN DO PEOPLE SEARCH FOR GOD?

After the bomb exploded at the Boston Marathon on Monday April 15- we had many people searching for God. My search sites indicate words like this:

power
power of prayer stories
prayer life
prayer for calm in the storm
God of the impossible

The most popular post on Tuesday: Praying for the World.

And How Do I Have a Conversation with God?

What does this tell us? Well it tells me that people want to know – they want answers. They want to speak to their Creator.

How can we show them?

Here are 5 Ways that I think will help to lead people to pray:

1. Offer to pray with them.

I have found that most people when they are in crisis will willing let you pray for them. Don’t be bashful. Just DO IT.

2. Offer them a short devotional booklet.

I know The Upper Room Devotional was a great resource for me in my walk with God. Now I read Jesus Calling by Sarah Young and My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers.

3. Give them a short Scripture.

And I don’t mean a lengthy passage but a short one. Here are a few that I have memorized to help me help someone else in a time of crisis (and help me, too):

4. Suggest great books.

You can suggest a book or give them a book where they can learn the power of God’s Word; the presence of God and how to get closer to Him.

My favourites are:

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Wonderstruck by Margaret Feinberg
Everything by Mary DeMuth
Anything by Philip Yancey, Bill Hybels, Max Lucado, and a slew of others.

5. Tell them you will be praying for them.

And DO IT.

Don’t just give lip service – give knee service. (Tweet this.)

I would love to continue this list. Please feel free to add your ideas in the comments below. Or put a link to a post where you have answered this question.

Prayer:

We are praying for all those who are fearful, hurt and discouraged. We pray especially for those who have lost loved ones in the Boston massacre or those who are injured. We ask for Your Hand upon all of us as we seek to teach others to pray. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.

Blessings,

Janis

Are My Prayers Too Small? (underthecoverofprayer.wordpress.com)
Why Do We Pray? (underthecoverofprayer.wordpress.com)
How Can Answered Prayer Help Us? (underthecoverofprayer.wordpress.com)
Can Visualization Help You Pray? (underthecoverofprayer.wordpress.com)

Janis Cox

Jan, a former school teacher and small business owner, found a new passion in writing in her retirement. She has published two devotionals and a number of articles for magazines and a Bible study. She is owner of Under the Cover of Prayer and moderates the site. Jan has completed a children’s book called Tadeo Turtle. She is the watercolour illustrator. Word Alive has published Tadeo Turtle. See more information at Jan’s Website.