A few times lately, I have had friends who have been going through troubling things. Naturally, I want to help them, so I ask them how I can. Sometimes, they'll tell me that all I can do is pray. I think about how I wish I could help them more. I always just did it and didn't think twice about it. But recently, I couldn't help but wonder, why do we say "All you can do is pray" as if that isn't that much? Prayer is one of the most powerful things we can do!
When we pray, we are talking to God, who created and maintains everything in the universe and asking him to act on our behalf. That is NOT insignificant! Prayer is a gift from God. He gives us the ability to talk with Him and ask for help in any situation!
John 14:13 says "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." Now, this does NOT mean that I could pray for a million dollars to appear in my hand and it will happen. Look at the verse again: it says "That the Father may be glorified in the Son." Not just anything will be done. The things that God will do for us are things that will bring Him glory.
So I need to align my will with God's will. Obviously, not everything I want is part of God's will. But if I pray for something that is in God's will, he promises that He will do it! So the more our wills become aligned, the more successful my prayers will be.
This is why prayer is such a powerful weapon. So much can happen when we are persistent in our prayers! So I need to stop saying "I guess all I can do is pray..." and instead be saying "The only way I can help is with the best possible way: prayer!"