Sometimes prayer feels like hard work. But if we press in and seek God’s heart, we may see our problem with new eyes. As we have walked alongside Naghmeh Abedini during the 21 Day Fast for Pastor Saeed, I’ve been inspired by how she keeps turning her eyes back to Jesus.
God sees our situation from all sides and knows things we can’t possibly know. But persevering is hard. Especially when we carry the weight of prayer for someone we deeply love. As one friend discovered, the person who is most impacted through perseverance in prayer might just be us. This friend has given me permission to share the following story with you. Her hope is that it will encourage you to stand firm in your prayers until you see your breakthrough.
GUEST BLOG: BREAKTHROUGH IN PRAYER
By: A friend who will remain unnamed
For three years I watched my son become increasingly addicted to drugs and alcohol. My husband and I preached, pleaded, disciplined, and of course prayed, to no avail. When I finally realized he would not listen to us, I asked God’s will to be done. I simply asked God to lead my son to quit for his own reasons, not mine. (I asked that God please just protect his health and not involve law enforcement!) I wondered how long I would have to wait but I surrendered him to the Lord. I still prayed for my “pothead” son, but with increasing peace that God would eventually intervene and change my son. Instead, He changed me first!
God made it very clear to me that I was to pray not for the son I was seeing, his character and behavior being veiled by addiction, but rather for the precious child of God he is. A loyal people person with a loving heart, the gifts of encouragement and leadership, sweet affection, and a fun sense of humor.
It was only after I began to pray for my son as he was created, as God designed him to be again, that God intervened. Was the journey out of addiction painful for him, and for our family? Oh yes, but it could have been so much worse.
Today I am rejoicing that God has led our son through a time of brokenness and out of that valley into a place of freedom, peace and joy again. I am also thankful that God guided me to a place of breakthrough in my prayer life and taught me a lesson about seeing others through His eyes.
marilynn chadwick 
November 22nd, 2015 at 3:30 pm
I know what it’s like to have a mother and father who pray diligently for u to over come the battle with drugs and alcohol. I to was heavy into drugs an didn’t care what God taught about me. My parents continuously prayed hard for me to turn from my life of disturction and into a life of peace and happiness. To make a long story short it wasn’t till I lost my life twice that I finally committed my life to living for the Lord. It hasn’t been an easy road but it proves the power of pray works!
November 22nd, 2015 at 3:50 pm
I know what it’s like to have a mother and father who pray diligently for u to over come the battle with drugs and alcohol. I to was heavy into drugs an didn’t care what God thought about me. My parents continuously prayed hard for me to turn from my life of disturction and into a life of peace and happiness. To make a long story short it wasn’t till I lost my life twice that I finally committed my life to living for the Lord. It hasn’t been an easy road but it proves the power of pray works!