When I pray for others, I gain a new understanding of my own life. Praying for others requires compassion and a sincere attempt to place myself in their shoes. By looking at life from a new perspective, I become more grateful for my blessings.
Praying for others frees me from the confines of selfishness. I break away from my own problems to focus on other people’s needs. Prayer moves me to genuine compassion for what they are experiencing.
At times, I get overwhelmed with the worries of my own life. My human nature tends to magnify situations when I am caught in the middle of them. Praying for others takes my mind off my own situation and allows me to look more objectively at life.
Through praying for others I see my own blessings with a clearer understanding. I learn to appreciate my circumstances when I take a few moments to put myself in someone else’s shoes. This practice causes me to think about the good things in my life with gratitude.
The more I pray for others, the more I realize that my life is great no matter how challenging it may be. I grow in confidence that things are getting better each day and that I have the power to effect positive change in my world.
Today, I choose to find one person in my life for whom I can pray. I think about their situation and put myself in their shoes to move myself to genuine compassion. When I look at life through another’s eyes, I get a new perspective on how blessed I am.
Self-Reflections Questions:
1. What happens to my perspective when I only think about my own situations?
2. How can I grow in compassion?
3. Who can I pray for today?