Stand in the Gap

"God is present whenever people suffer."

Yesterday this package showed up in my garage. A mix of words for me and birthday prizes for the Peanut. 

On those cards, the words illuminate all the things I can't seem to say right now. 

She has her palms up, holding me and my people up to Him. 

For me. 

When my health struggles began, people were so kind to always offer to pray for me. They would ask "how can I specifically pray for you?"

It's hard to answer that question honestly. 

You give the easy answers - pray for my next doctor's appointment, pray for wisdom, pray for healing, pray for my family that we survive this. 

What you really need are the hard questions. 

Pray that I believe healing can happen. Pray that I remember how to hold out hope. Pray that I recognize joy again. 

Those are the things you never say. 

Because it makes you sound un-Christian. 

As if struggling to believe is something new to just you. 

Even on the cross, Jesus cries out "why have you forsaken me?"

Even Jesus, on the cross, says "Where are you God?"

I still ask others how I can pray for them. 

But more often, I share that I will stand in your gap. 

That gap that exists between you and faith, I'll stand there for you. 

I'll pray for hope for you. I'll pray for big things. 

I'll hold you up when you can not hold yourself. 

Because I intimately know what it's like to be falling in the gap. 

Mama Warriors, I think the best thing we can do for each other is to be vessels. Tune in to His voice. 

Send the words when we feel tugged. 

Offer the meal, the laundry washing, the kid taxi driving. 

But most importantly, we can stand in the gap for those we love. 

We can say to them "It's okay to be questioning." While you question, I'll pray those things you can't pray. 

I'll put into words what you can not just yet. 

I'll stand in the gap. 

We tend to ask folks "have you prayed about it?" Which let's be real, comes across as judgemental and condescending. As if folks who love God didn't think to pray about big things. 

Sometimes the right response is "I'll pray about this for you. Let me stand in your gap." 

Let's be people who lift each other up in real in tangible ways. Let's be people who say "thinking of you" and mean it.