Too Close

A friend and I were talking the other day about prayer. She was wondering why her prayers for other people’s children seem more effective than her prayers for her own children. I’ve wondered this myself.

I recently noticed that my teenage son has a few shirts that he has worn for more than three years—which makes me think he hasn’t grown much in the last few years. Yet, people who see him infrequently almost always comment on his growth. I guess I forget about all the shirts and jeans he has outgrown in the past few years, and instead focus on the few shirts that still fit. Maybe those shirts were big on him a few years ago and now just fit properly? Maybe, because I see him daily, I’m too close to the situation to notice the changes that are happening.

I have a list of people I pray for regularly. I am very close to some of these people—I interact and invest in their lives on a daily basis. Others are people who are placed on my prayer list temporarily, because they are going through a time of need. I might only hear from them once every few months. When their prayers are answered, I hear about it, and then I can stop being concerned about that issue…whereas my close family members and friends are always on my prayer list; as soon as one issue is taken care of, I’m praying for the next thing for them.

When I’m really close to someone, I’m less likely to notice all the changes in them. God has been working in their lives, yet sometimes I fail to recognize the growth. If I take a step back and really think about it, God is taking care of my loved ones.