join my struggle

Today we read from Romans 15:23-16:9 in the One Year Bible. Paul tells the Romans that he would like them to "join him in his struggle" by praying for him. That's quite an insight.

If you've ever experienced spiritual warfare, or felt the enemy attacking you for what you're doing, then you might identify with Paul's words here. Many times, when we feel overwhelmed by the enemy, asking others to pray for us will literally turn the tide. It can make everything change in the blink of an eye... not necessarily changing WHAT is happening in your life (though sometimes that, too) but changing your perspective on it. And perspective helps you to overcome your obstacles.

When you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders, and you feel like you can't carry on any longer (or, hopefully, BEFORE you get to that place), don't forget to ask for prayer. In Paul's day, he had to write a letter and wait for it to reach his intended audience, which could take weeks, months, even years, before he benefited from their prayer.

Today, you can post a request for prayer on social media and have many people praying for you in seconds. Let's take advantage of our new technology to make our prayers (and our requests for prayer) more efficient.

God, thank You for teaching us that we can actually join someone's struggle by praying for them. Help us to join.