I took one last look at the head pastor from the church gate, he was already attending to other “brethren”. I shook my head and dusted my shoes (figuratively). I’m not stepping foot in this church ever again. But the question that kept coming to my mind was – Why are Christians like this? Why do we think the highest level of favour you can do for me is to pray for me? Why do you think prayer is what everyone needs?

Please don’t pray for me.

Just the same morning, as I was about entering the church premises, a little kid walked up to me. His short was torn, I wasn’t sure if to call what he was wearing a shirt. There were little kids like that in the area. They were called furoti man’na (meaning Street Kids). I brought out my offering and handed it over to him as that was all I had on me to give and somehow, I felt God himself must've looked down at me with a bright smile and a pat on the back.

If anything, his prayer for breakfast has been answered. What he needed right there and then, even though I was going into the house of prayer wasn’t my prayers. He needed something in his tummy. Most people in this part of the world, Christians especially, are only experts in praying for others. Someone is hungry and you’re telling him the Lord is in control. But the Lord has not controlled you to give him that small change in your pocket; I guess.

Keep your prayers.

There’s a sister in church who has been looking for a job for three years, and your firm recruits bi-annually. Instead of announcing it in church, so people would send in their CVs. (Maybe you might just be the answer to her prayers), you’ll rather tell her the Lord will provide the best. Yea right, not just from your company.

We should pray for one another as Christians of course, but why pray when you can help? As I walked into the church, I overheard the head pastor telling another pastor that he’ll need a business admin to manage his budding water company. I was extra joyful during service ‘cos that is my field. I walked up to the head pastor and told him how I’ve been jobless since the beginning of the year and my experiences as a business admin.

I was sincerely expecting him to see me as the answer to his prayers but instead told me to kneel down for prayers. After the prayers, I kept walking away slowly, all the while looking back. Nothing. Giving is every individual’s prerogative but we can’t always deny that as Christians we know that it is better to give than to receive (and sometimes to pray). Even though prayer is the key, a lot of people still die at the door.

Continued here: http://www.maturemindstalk.com/2017/09/dont-pray-for-me.html