Last Week I Asked my Team to Change how they Pray for Each Other

At rehearsal the other night we ended a little differently. Most of the time we clean up our gear and circle up for a few minutes to share prayer requests and pray for each other. This week, we did that, but we added another element. I asked everyone on our team to share something they were praising God for as well. A “praise report” if you will. 

For the last several weeks it seemed to me that our team was circling up at the end of rehearsals to share about all the bad things in each other lives. And honestly, it was depressing. Don’t get me wrong, I want our team to be with and for one another in the good times and bad, but sometimes all we focus on is the bad. That’s where I felt we had gotten: focusing only on the bad. Week after week we talked about what we wanted God to do and kind of ignored what He had already done and was already doing. 

I asked my team to share what they were praising God for because I never want us to forget that prayer isn’t just about asking. It’s not just for when things are bad. It’s also about celebrating. It’s about acknowledging the goodness of God. Ultimately, it’s about communicating with our Heavenly Father. 

I want to encourage you to make space for your team to praise God together. Practice being grateful. Practice looking for what God has already done. Too often we only look at what hasn’t been done yet. Try reading through Psalm 136 together: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever.” Look at how the psalmist looks both at what the Lord has done and what He will do. 

There’s certainly a place for sharing each other’s burdens. But don’t neglect to share each other’s praises as well.