Prayer Versus Action

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When tragedy takes over the national news, Facebook lights up with the offering of prayer. 

This response angers some. Many are quick to ridicule the prayerful as cowardly and feckless, calling for action over prayer. If prayers worked, they say, we wouldn't have these problems. 

What's a Christian to do?

PRAY.

Do not believe for one second that prayer is synonymous with inactivity. Prayer is where we start. 

We must pray for the families of those involved. We must pray for our own families. We must pray for our country and for the world. We must ask for comfort and for the peace that passes all understanding, but we must not stop there. 

We must earnestly ask God how we can affect change. Maybe that means making sacrifices. Maybe that means we reevaluate our stances on things. Maybe that means we makes some calls and take some stands. I'm not here to tell you what that means. I'm here to tell you to pray about it. 

Really, legitimately pray. 

Don't just say you will pray, but do it. And when you do it, ask God what your next step should be.

Keep on asking until He answers, and don't forget to listen. If Facebook has something to say about it, God just might have something to say about it, too. 

Prayer is not an excuse to wash our hands of the situation and move on. 

Prayer is where we start, but that does not mean we stop. 


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