A child of God can very easily fall into the trap of self-centered Christianity. One's walk with Christ must be personal and occasionally private, focusing on your needs, but Christians are clearly instructed to be servants to all.
One way that people participate in self-centered Christianity is if their prayers only revolve around themselves. One can focus on his own issues or wishes and he can neglect his duty to pray for his peers.
When Stephen was being stoned, his prayer was, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" (Acts 7:60).
When Job was suffering through the anguish that God allowed him to go through, he still prayed for others. "And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before." (Job 42:10)
When Jesus was beaten, lead up a hill carrying the cross, and hung on that cross, he cried, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."
Jesus told us, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" (Matthew 5:44)
Looking at this world can be one of the most discouraging things to do, but does it motivate us to pray for our country? Does it move us to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are fighting the same battle we are? When someone mistreats you, do you pray for them? Do you pray for the wicked people you see on TV?
Paul made it very clear that he also prayed for his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
"I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers" (Philemon 1:4).
"Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers" (Ephesians 1:15-16). "We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;" (1 Thessalonians 1:2).
Let's use the freedom we have to approach the throne of grace to pray for our friends who are facing troubling times. Let's pray for the health of the elders in our church. Let's pray for the "little" problems people are facing. Let's pray for the friends we have that do not know Christ.
Pray for each other!
"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16)
"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, [and] giving of thanks, be made for all men;" (1 Timothy 2:1).
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