Praying For Comfort
Dan Jon had had a rough day at School last week. By the time he had walked home, in the rain, not only was he soaked but he was ready for a hug that only his Mum could give him, as big sobs emanated from somewhere deep down inside his body. It was heartbreaking because other than giving him a hug, there seemed to be nothing I could do to comfort him.
Whilst helping to take his sopping coat off him, I listened to the sad tale of how a teacher had accused him and several on his table of talking whilst she was talking. He was sure he hadn't been, although he admitted that the others on his table had been talking and they rightly had been told off. It was when the teacher directed her anger at Dan Jon, bringing up something that really she didn't need to, that he realised that he was being singled out for something he didn't do. To make matters worse, the teacher said she was going to tell other teachers about the incident.
During Break and Lunch, some of his classmates came to tell Dan Jon that they hadn't heard him speak at the time the teacher had claimed he had been, but it was too late. The damage was done. Dan Jon was having a very bad day. The teacher had singled him out, had shouted and had told his class teacher who had said the words we all hate to hear.
I'm very disappointed.
The tears when he got home were very real, but instead of stewing on it as I may have been tempted to do, he had a hug and went up to his bedroom to change and to pray. He went to pray for the teacher to have a good evening because he said;
"Sometimes people have bad days and we don't know what they are going through and so maybe all she needs is a reminder that she is loved."
Dan Jon wasn't praying for his own comfort. Dan Jon wasn't praying for his teacher to have a change of heart. Dan Jon wasn't even praying for the teacher to feel bad about having told him off for something he didn't do. Instead, my little boy was praying for this teacher to have peace, comfort and to feel loved, because she may have been having a bad day.
And that is the great thing about prayer.
It is our way to talk with our Heavenly Father, about all the things that are going on in our life be they big or small because to him they are all important, just as to me as Dan Jon's Mum everything he tells me is important. God wants to know what is going on in your life, from your perspective. He wants to know what you are thinking, how you are feeling and he wants you to know he is listening and that he loves you. That he is there for you and wants to give you comfort and relief.
Dan Jon didn't take the time to ask for favours for himself, although I am sure that he received comfort whilst praying. Instead, he took the time to ask for a teacher to feel comfort and love, to feel the Holy Ghost around her and to know that she was safe and that any worries she had were known to God.
What did I do to get a child this good and kind?!
Whilst helping to take his sopping coat off him, I listened to the sad tale of how a teacher had accused him and several on his table of talking whilst she was talking. He was sure he hadn't been, although he admitted that the others on his table had been talking and they rightly had been told off. It was when the teacher directed her anger at Dan Jon, bringing up something that really she didn't need to, that he realised that he was being singled out for something he didn't do. To make matters worse, the teacher said she was going to tell other teachers about the incident.
During Break and Lunch, some of his classmates came to tell Dan Jon that they hadn't heard him speak at the time the teacher had claimed he had been, but it was too late. The damage was done. Dan Jon was having a very bad day. The teacher had singled him out, had shouted and had told his class teacher who had said the words we all hate to hear.
I'm very disappointed.
The tears when he got home were very real, but instead of stewing on it as I may have been tempted to do, he had a hug and went up to his bedroom to change and to pray. He went to pray for the teacher to have a good evening because he said;
"Sometimes people have bad days and we don't know what they are going through and so maybe all she needs is a reminder that she is loved."
Dan Jon wasn't praying for his own comfort. Dan Jon wasn't praying for his teacher to have a change of heart. Dan Jon wasn't even praying for the teacher to feel bad about having told him off for something he didn't do. Instead, my little boy was praying for this teacher to have peace, comfort and to feel loved, because she may have been having a bad day.
And that is the great thing about prayer.
It is our way to talk with our Heavenly Father, about all the things that are going on in our life be they big or small because to him they are all important, just as to me as Dan Jon's Mum everything he tells me is important. God wants to know what is going on in your life, from your perspective. He wants to know what you are thinking, how you are feeling and he wants you to know he is listening and that he loves you. That he is there for you and wants to give you comfort and relief.
Dan Jon didn't take the time to ask for favours for himself, although I am sure that he received comfort whilst praying. Instead, he took the time to ask for a teacher to feel comfort and love, to feel the Holy Ghost around her and to know that she was safe and that any worries she had were known to God.
What did I do to get a child this good and kind?!