Expert: Scott Talbot - 1/6/2007

Question
Hi Scott
Can I have your opinion about a prayer matter(again). I had praying for a work colleagues mother who was having an operation.  She came through the op remarkably well and they managed to remove all the cancer.  Should I tell her that I prayed for her mum or just keep it between me and God.  She is not a Christian but knows that I am.  

Answer
Hi, Monica.

My personal opinion is that you should tell your co-worker that you prayed for her mother.

One reason is that God deserves the credit for healing her. It isn't that others don't deserve credit--the doctors, the hospital. But we also need to acknowledge God's role in the process, as well. James 1:17 says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." This means that every good thing we have, every good thing that happens to us--God is the gracious giver of that gift.

Another reason you should tell her is that people need to see God. We all yearn for God to some degree or another. We want to know that He's there. We want to experience Him. Since God is intangible, that's often difficult. However, Jesus said, in John 3:8, "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." In explaining God to Nicodemus, Jesus was saying that we cannot see the wind, yet we know it's real, because we can observe what it does. So it is with God. While we may not be able to see Him, we can observe what He does, and, by doing so, see that He is real, and active in our lives. We need to know this. Your friend needs to know this.

Yet another reason to tell her is that she needs to know you care. Regardless of where people stand spiritually, they appreciate it when others pray for them. In fact, one of the most positive ways to share your faith is to offer to pray for someone. Just asking, "Can I pray for you?" or "How can I pray for you?" is a powerful way to share your faith by sharing your love and genuine concern.

One last thing. If she knows you're a Christian, she needs to see that backed up by your lifestyle. She needs to see genuine Christian love--the kind of love that sets us apart from the rest of the world. In John 13:35, Jesus says, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

What a tremendous opportunity to show God's mighty hand at work, and to share His love and your friendship with this lady and her mother. If I were you, I would definitely tell her that you prayed for her and her mother.

Scott