Praying Together — How is it with your soul.

Praying Together

Pastor Calvin Cook

Day 4 of 30 — September 10, 2026

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” — James 5:16

There are some prayers we can pray alone. There are other prayers that require us to trust someone enough to say, “I need you to pray with me.” That may be one of the most difficult things for us to do.

We are often comfortable asking others to pray about a physical illness, an upcoming surgery, a family situation, or a difficult decision. But it becomes much harder when the prayer request involves something happening within us.

It is difficult to admit: “I am struggling.” “I have sinned.” “I am angry.” “I am afraid.” “I have not been forgiving” “I have a relationship that is hurting.” “I am losing hope.” “I need help.””I feel like a failure”

Many of us have learned how to appear as though everything is fine. We come to church, shake hands, smile, and answer the familiar question, “How are you?” with the familiar response, “I’m good.”

But sometimes we are not good.

We may be carrying guilt, temptation, resentment, grief, addiction, disappointment, or wounds that no one else can see. We hide those struggles because we fear judgment. We worry about what others will think or whether they will keep our confidence. We may even believe that admitting weakness means our faith is weak.

James gives us a different picture of Christian fellowship: “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

James does not tell us to announce every struggle publicly or share our deepest wounds with everyone we meet. Wisdom and healthy boundaries still matter. Some situations may also require the help of a pastor, counselor, physician, recovery group, or another trained professional.

But Scripture does tell us that we were never meant to live the Christian life alone.

God often brings healing as we become honest with Him and with trustworthy believers who will listen, love us, hold our confidence, speak truth, and pray.

This is the reason I am encouraging small covenant prayer groups. In the Wesleyan tradition, small groups were never intended to be merely meetings where people gathered for information. They were places of spiritual accountability. People were encouraged to ask one another a searching question:  “How is it with your soul?”

That question reaches deeper than, “How are things going?” How is it—really—with your soul? What is God doing within you? Where are you experiencing victory? Where are you struggling? Is there something you are trying to keep hidden? How can I pray for you?

Confession is not about embarrassing someone or giving others permission to judge them. It is about bringing what has been hidden into the light of God’s grace. The enemy tells us, “If anyone knew the truth about you, they would reject you.”

There is a difference between conviction and condemnation. Conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit revealing what needs to change and leading us toward repentance, forgiveness, and freedom. Condemnation tells us that we are beyond hope and should remain hidden.

God does not reveal our sin to destroy us. He reveals it because He loves us too much to leave us imprisoned by it. Notice that James connects confession with prayer: “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other.”

When someone trusts us with an honest confession or a painful struggle, our first response should not be gossip, shock, or judgment. Our response should be compassion, truth, and prayer.

Prayer does not remove the need to repent, make amends, seek treatment, establish boundaries, or take the next faithful step. Prayer brings us into the presence of God, where we receive the grace and strength needed to take those steps.

James says that this kind of prayer is “powerful and effective.”

Perhaps today you need to become honest with God about something you have tried to hide. Begin there. God already knows, and His grace is greater than what you have done or what has been done to you.

Within this covenant prayer group there must be trust. There must be consensual no trust boundaries. This has become the challenge. But to experience trust worthiness we must become trustworthy ourselves. Pray for this person or people and ask the Holy Spirit.

Perhaps someone will become honest with you today. If they do, treat their story as sacred. Listen before speaking. Do not attempt to fix everything. Be willing to stand with them in prayer.  Carry them to Jesus in prayer.

The Prayer today is simple: Be at work in my life. Guide me in the paths of righteousness. Raise up the person who you have for me today and who they need to celebrate life in Jesus name – Amen.

Today’s prayer step: Ask yourself, “How is it with my soul?” Write an honest answer. Then prayerfully consider sharing one struggle with a trusted Christian and asking, “Will you pray with me?” If someone shares their struggle with you, listen with compassion, protect their confidence, and carry them faithfully in prayer.