Standing in the G.A.P

I urge you, first of all, to pray to all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf,

and give thanks for them.

1Timothy 2:1 (NLT)

Have you ever been standing and praying in the gap for a friend or loved one? You pray without ceasing believing that their situation will change. You are so focused on the outcome of the situation, and you expect to see a miracle in their life, but nothing happens. I can say from experience, that something is happening. It is just not happening the way that we anticipated.

Recently, my mother-in-love passed away. It was sudden and unexpected. We did not anticipate losing her without the possibility of a goodbye. It hurt us all very much. Yet, we summoned strength from God to get through. Amid it all, I was tasked with being the ‘strong’ one by those who came to support the family. I began to question whether anyone realized that I had lost someone dear to me as well. My pain was just as real as anyone else. This was not necessarily a surprise for me because even when my husband of almost 28 years died, I was expected to take care of everyone else and be the strong one for the family even in my deepest distress. Honestly, it was mind boggling! I was just supposed to turn my emotions off and stuff my pain in a closet so that I could tend to others.

Initially, my first response was to be frustrated and a bit angry. But since my husband’s death, I have matured in the Spirit, and I know that this is my assignment. God has given me a ministry of strength and encouragement for others. Do not get me wrong, there are times of setback in my own healing because I often deny my feelings and needs for too long. However, praying for others has caused me to focus on them and not myself. In those moments that I am not looking at me, God can come in and begin the healing in my heart as only He can do.

Often, we do not realize the changes taking place when we are standing in the gap for others. God is working on them and on us. While we are persistently praying for them and hoping for a move of God, God is working in us to change our perspective and our heart so that we learn to trust Him to do the work that needs to be done.

Usually, when we do not see the changes that we want or expect, we assume that no change is taking place. However, God does not think the way we think, nor does He operate the way we operate. (Isaiah 55:8-9) He does not solicit our direction, nor does He desire our opinion. He is operating in the quiet unseen places of our loved ones (and us) to bring lasting change. He works on the inside in His own timing to bring the outward change that will bring Him glory. I remind myself constantly that just because I cannot see the change taking place, it does not mean that He is not working. It does not mean that my prayers are unheard or will go unanswered. I must learn to trust that His way is always more effective than anything I can do or say. I must remember that the ones I am praying for are loved by Him even more than I love them. I can trust that He has their best interest at heart.

Yes, standing in the gap is not just for them. It is also for the one praying. God will begin to change our hearts and minds. He will renew our minds so that our focus is now on Him. In the sacrifice of our pain on the behalf of others, we can get a small glimpse of what it may have been like for Jesus as He prepared to go to Calvary. Even on the cross, He was pleading our case - not His. As we pray for others and forget about ourselves, we come to realize that God is working in our situation to ease our pain, but even better we come to know Him more. We began to understand His character and who He really is. We come to understand that we are helpless to correct the situations in our lives. We come to understand that He is the one who can make things better for us. We come to understand that He wants us to trust Him in every aspect of our lives. We come to understand that He will do just what He said He would do for us, in us, and through us.

The strength that everyone expected me to have for my family was the very strength that He gave me as I continued to stand in the gap for them. It was not what I expected, but it was what He intended. Standing in the gap one would think that you just lose yourself and focus on everyone else. However, standing in the gap is a process of growth. It is maturity to know that it is not just about ‘me.’ I am not the only one hurting. It is the maturity to know that God can manage my situation while I release it to Him and pray for others. It is the maturity to know that we are our brother’s or sister’s keeper. (Genesis 4:9 NKJV)

As we continue to stand in the gap, we begin to see that there is change and growth in the gap. Our compassion for others grows in the gap, our strength and endurance grow in the gap, our love for humanity and God grow in the gap, our peace with humanity and God grow in the gap, our joy for the Lord grows in the gap. There may not be an immediate resolution to our personal situation while we are praying in the gap for others, but we are being equipped for the long haul so that we may finish this race.

The G.A.P. is a place of Growth in Christ in our own lives; a place of Awareness and Assurance of who HE really is and what HE can do in our lives; and a place of Peace that only He can give and that passes all understanding.

The Prayer

Father, I am standing in the gap for those who may be reading this post today or in the days to come. Father, I ask you to meet them at the point of their need. Give them the strength to reach out for You. Help them to know that they are dearly loved by You and that you will never leave them nor forsake them. I pray Father, that they will come to truly know You in the depths of their soul. Father, help us to have the strength to lay our burdens down so that we may help others bring their burdens to You.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

Worship in Song