The prayer of a faithful woman

Where does a mother turn to provide help for her family? The needs of a family are varied and constant. When a family is grown, they are often far away and a parent’s help can be distant. When I had young children, I was able to physically protect my kids; but now that they are grown with families of their own, my ability to comfort and guide is limited.

My favorite quote hangs in the kitchen and shows me where to look for help for my family: “There are few things more powerful than the prayer of a righteous mother,” taught Boyd K. Packer, an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Is it true that the prayer of a faithful woman is filled with power? I believe it is, and so I pray with faith for my family and friends. In the face of adversity, prayer doesn’t seem like much of a solution. But if you consider the following examples of faithful prayer in the Bible, you can see that it is important.

Hannah, the mother of the Old Testament prophet Samuel, prayed with faith and longing for a son. “She prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore” (1 Samuel 1:10, all references KJV). Her prayers were so intense the priest Eli thought she was drunk. When she explained she was praying, Eli promised her: “Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him” (1 Samuel 1:17). She promised God that if he would send her a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord. She was blessed with her son, Samuel, who became a prolific prophet.

God is waiting and willing to help us. Consider James 1:5; “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” In the New Testament, Jesus shows many examples of his willingness to give as we ask. What about the leper who asked to be healed? Remember Jairus who asked Jesus to heal his daughter, only to bring Jesus home and find she had died? Jesus then raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead. Think about when Jesus’ mother asked him to resolve the lack of wine at the feast. Her urgent plea implies that she meant “by miracle if needed.” She knew he had the power, she requested his help, and he gladly gave it.

When I was a teen, I went to a music camp in a different state. On the day before auditions, I became very ill and was confined to bed. I finally phoned home to tell my parents about my tragic illness. A few hours after our call, I could eat a few crackers.

By evening I was eating soup, and the next morning I couldn’t tell I had ever been sick. I was completely healthy and alert for my audition, which went well. I was seated first in the symphony that summer, the “concertmaster.” When I got home two weeks later, I learned why I had recovered so quickly. After I had called my parents, they had immediately begun praying and fasting for me. Their prayer of faith healed me. It was indeed a powerful thing. I remember a time when I was praying for my teen. Their circumstances suddenly changed, and my prayer was answered. I didn’t dare believe it was a result of my insignificant, pleading prayer, but my husband reassured me that it probably was. James1:6 reminds us, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.” When we seek God’s help for our families, let us do it with faith. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind,” we are taught in 2 Timothy 1:7. We need to be bold as we come to the throne of God and ask for his help.

“Your future is as bright as your faith,” taught Gordon B. Hinckley, a prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If we pray with faith, God will help us. May your future be bright through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Beth Wright loves her family, Alaskan summers, raspberries, and long hikes. She believes in Jesus Christ and loves being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.