Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much. – James 5:16 (NASB)
Prayer has helped me over and over again throughout my life, but recently I experienced it in an immediate and tangible way. I had been sick for several days and by Saturday I had no voice at all. I spent the weekend drinking hot tea with honey, trying to rest, and hoping something would change. I was scheduled to preach on Sunday, but when I woke up that morning my voice was really gone. Jeff and I talked about what to do and I seriously considered asking one of the other pastors to preach in my place.
When we gathered with the Worship Team on Sunday morning to pray before worship, they asked me to close out the prayer. As soon as they heard my voice and I said, “Amen”, J.P., our drummer, stopped everything and said, “Wait, guys, we’ve got to lay hands on Pastor Dana and pray for her voice.” And right there, the team laid hands on me and J.P. prayed that my voice would last through the two morning services.
That’s exactly what happened!
My voice, barely there just minutes before, held strong through both services. I’m not sure anyone could even tell I had been sick. It even lasted through lunch with my parents afterward, but as soon as I got home, my voice disappeared again and was gone for the next two or three days.
For me, it was a powerful reminder that prayer doesn’t always remove the struggle, but it invites God to step into the moment with exactly what we need. That morning God didn’t instantly heal me, but He sustained me. My voice lasted for the precise window it was needed and I walked away with yet another reminder that God hears, God cares, and God truly holds all things – including me.