9-30-21
(1 minute 20 seconds)
A treasured friend entrusted a secret to me last night and with her permission, I share this.
My friend had seen the brokenness of her husband’s heart from childhood trauma long before he did. For more than three months in the still and quiet of night, in a holy act of faith, she would lay her hand gently upon her husband’s chest.
As he slept, she would pray. Night after night, she pleaded with the only One who could reach deep, deep down and far, far back into this man’s broken story; the only One who could reveal dysfunction and bring brokenness to light; the only One who could initiate healing.
She didn’t tell her husband. She didn’t tell anyone.
She simply asked God.
This was her secret act of faith.
After several months of her nightly private intercession, the Lord saw fit to awaken within her husband an awareness of his pain from past wounds and his need for healing.
The chapters of this part of his story, their story, are still being written. The glory that will be revealed from this path of suffering will undoubtedly be nothing short of breathtaking. I am sure of it.
But for now I wait, watch, and pray in faith with my dear friend who I know to be a heroic and faith-filled helpmate.
I am struck by Hebrews 11:1 this morning as I consider my friend’s devoted prayer life.
“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
In faith, she prayed for things she couldn’t see yet.
Her prayers were rooted in faith in God and His ability to care for the needs she perceived.
In faith, she trusted God’s work and His timing while she waited.
She prayed on. And on.
She didn’t meddle. Or prod. She didn’t tell her husband of her part in this until after God made His spiritually surgical cut to begin completion of what He began a long time ago.
Her role was to pray, and keep praying in faith as she waited patiently.
I’m freshly inspired to pray on and wait patiently for God to take care of some of my specific needs and even a few of the wishes of my heart.
I wonder, what secret act of faith might the Lord be calling you to?