I long for world peace.
Really.
I’m not a beauty contestant trying for the “right” answer (except for that one Junior Miss event in high school… but we won’t talk about that right now!). I’m not writing an essay for college admission. I truly long for our world to be at peace.
Most times, however, I merely meander about in my prayers for peace. Most times I’ll pray through the World section of the morning news…
- My prayers lift the governing authorities to the Lord as I ask for their wisdom and courage and strength.
- I pray for godly men and women to be among the leadership and among those who counsel the leaders.
- Reconciliation and forgiveness frequent my prayers daily.
- Following Paul’s words in Romans 13:1-7, I pray also for all to lead as servants of God.
Yet … vulnerable peoples still eke out existences in a violent and unjust world. I get lost in the complexities and get lost in my prayer petitions. It’s tough to know how to pray for global change.
Recently I came across an awesome resource that has helped me to focus my prayer. The infographic below has changed my global prayer concentration. It summarizes elections throughout the world. I’m learning more about the nations and am now able to pray specifically for political situations. My only sorrow is that I only discovered this infograph last month…nearly half-way through the year.
Would you join me in prayer for world peace? Use this graphic to focus your prayer for countries and their leadership. Pray for nations where your church’s missionaries serve. Pray for the geographic region that weighs heavy on your heart. Pray for world peace!
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| What is the World Voting for Infographic It is hard for believers to agree on the role of politics in their faith. But there is no doubt that electing those who govern us is an important responsibility for any citizen. Learn in greater detail about the elections happening all over the world this year and consider how you might pray for those voting and those who are seeking to be elected. How might God work through the voters and the elected officials to bring about His will and His Kingdom? |
If you have any trouble downloading or reading the infographic, click here to open a copy in a new tab.
I would love to hear how you pray for global needs. Please share in the comments below!
I also appreciated this post. Like you I long for peace and a world at rest.and for the Lord to take the responsibilities of governance upon His shoulders. I pray for nations that Holy Spirit would hover over them and bring about the people and circumstances that would align with Father God’s purposes for that nation. I pray that He pour out His shalom. I don’t know how non believers will react to His shalom–it could set them off! But those whose hearts are in a search for Him would benefit. It would strengthen their inner beings and draw them to Him. Shalom includes a sense of well-being, encouragement, provision and protection, so I trust Him to provide that for those who know Him and call Him Lord. Sometimes Father drops some specifics in my mind so I pray those too.
I appreciate this infograpic. It really does give focus. Thank you, Carol Brown
I will definitely be adding your prayer that the Lord would “pour out His shalom” on the nations. What a beautiful image, Carol! So true that the Lord knows the needs of leaders, whether well-being, encouragement, provision or protection (or ALL four). Thanks for chiming in!
This is an amazing, frank post, Sharon. Many of us toss out a prayer over a news item; your discipline is a call to all of us for more dedicated prayer. Your brave example is an antidote to the despair that tends to overwhelm anyone who pays attention to current events nationally and globally.
Most long for world peace, except those who stand to gain from tension and warfare or who are in the thick of a battle pursuing a goal with violence. I have wondered since childhood about prayers for peace: in the Anglican churches, peace, the Queen, and the royal family and political leaders were/are prayed for every Sunday. When I became an adult and looked at the political realities, not to mention the personal mess-ups, it was hard for me to see what, if anything, had been accomplished by that vast amount of prayer. Then, a college friend returned from England where she had spent time at a commune in which the Queen’s sister had taken refuge from all that “royalty.” I realized then that prayer directed to an individual human being might just make a difference, as the love Margaret felt among those college students had made some kind of difference in her essentially lonely life.
Even in the midst of war, prayer can make a difference. Agnes Sanford’s prayer fellowship brought home safely every one of the men from their church who fought in WW II.
One way I have prayed for peace is through a commitment to pacifism. I examined that stance off and on from the time I met Quaker counsellors at a Christian camp when I was about 12; my parents were horrified. But over the years and especially after I met my husband that aspect of Jesus’s example and teaching became part of my political and personal outlook. It influenced the way we raised our children, which has had very important positive effects, especially on the son who became schizophrenic for 10 years and who has been developing a sense of self in a society that is often violent. Both of our youngest sons, whose peace has been sorely tested, have demonstrated remarkable self-control, forgiveness, and love under intense physical duress. They may not call themselves Christians, but they have put their lives on the line in Christ-like ways. Prayer without ceasing has been directed to their struggles, so I guess you could say I think globally but mostly act locally when it comes to prayers for peace. Thank you for holding out hope in these dark times.
I so appreciate your response in this conversation about world peace. As you mentioned, when people continue to “gain from tension and warfare” we will continue to have violence. Thank you for sharing how your family seeks to be an example of peace. Our culture speaks to the value of peacemaking, but the violence and crises demonstrate otherwise. Thanks again for joining in the conversation, Laurna!