I find it helpful when I pray for an individual, or national crisis, to ask God to help me ‘put myself in their shoes’ – to feel, see and seek even a glimpse of understanding of what it’s like to face their situation. To put myself in the shoes of the person I know, or an individual representing thousands caught up in tragedy.
As we think of friends or family this month, as we hold crises in our hearts that disappear so quickly from the headlines of our newsfeed – wars, conflicts, earthquakes, famine… how long that list could be – we can ask God to help us pray as we ‘put our feet in their shoes’.
It’s not always easy, but it softens the heart to their predicament and to God’s leading; it helps us ‘see’ & feel the problems or devastation of life as they do; the fear, horror, the grief of lost loved ones, homes, livelihoods…and hope.
And let’s keep offering practical help in any way we can.