Tuesday, October 23, 2012

IS ANYONE SITTING THERE

I settled into my aisle seat, waiting for the "fasten seat-belt sign to light up" when another passenger appeared. "Is anyone sitting there?"
Oh no, I remember thinking to myself. We already have no leg room, and now there will be three of us squeezed into this tiny space. I smiled and said, "you are."
I stepped into the aisle so she could claim her middle seat. The passenger at the window was already comfortable and reading her Nook.
I planned to sleep the entire flight. Worn out, sore throat starting, and trying to adjust to a different time zone.
I pushed my seat back and closed my eyes.
"What do you do?" she asked softly.
I opened one eye to make sure she wasn't talking to me. However, that wasn't the case. My plans for napping were quickly vanishing. My seat-mate wanted to talk.
We exchanged basic information, then she got into the "heart" of it.
I listened for several hours to her story. When she finished I assured her I would be praying for her and the entire situation she shared with me.
When we landed we continued walking together towards the baggage claim area. I waved as she went her way and I mine. I felt a sense of sadness, realizing I would probably never see this lady again.
I added her to my prayer journal and realized I couldn't tell her I was praying for her. That's when it really hit me.
Why does it matter if she knows I'm praying for her? After all, why am I praying? 
Matthew 6:5 And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. 
As an intercessor. I don't need conformation, I don't need her to thank me. I need to lift her prayer concerns to the Lord, just as I promised her I would do.  
Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.    

4 comments:

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

Isn't it interesting that of all the seats, she was next to you? No coincidence. As for telling her you were going to pray for her. I don't that it's necessary. God will touch her life, has already by putting you two together. I think sometimes they are received as hollow words. I can't tell you how many people told me they were praying for me before I was 30. That's because it didn't mean much then. I didn't understand the power behind the gesture. Next time, maybe take a moment and ask God if you're to tell the person or not. Maybe it's yes, or maybe no. I'm not sure. I always always ask when I'm not sure. And to think, when I turned 50 I was so sure I'd be sure. Haha. Nope.

Kathryn Neff Perry, PhD, MA, LMHC said...

Joy, Thanks so much for your comments. I told her several times I would pray for her, in fact we prayed on the plane. I just had a strange feeling when I was praying, I think because I realized I couldn't talk to her to see how God would answer our prayers. It took me a long time too, before I realized the power of prayer. Even though it tells us so many times in the Bible, that's exactly what we are supposed to do....pray without ceasing.....
Love to you my friend!

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

Oh, I get it. Duh. I misunderstood. Thought you wanted to tell her and couldn't. Love ya!

Kathryn Neff Perry, PhD, MA, LMHC said...

Joy,
ha ha, I should take a writing course.....