I just wrote about this one on one of my other blogs, 97secondswithgod.com but it was too tempting to pass up. If you've never heard an "unspoken prayer request" then let me enlighten you. This is when someone has done something they don't want to share and instead of just swallowing it until they are able to share the specific incident they say they have an "unspoken prayer request." If you're being honest and intimate with a group of people it seems silly, but if you're in mixed company and feel shy about telling girls your junk I can see why you might use this method. Then again, maybe the bigger issue is why you're telling girls your junk in the first place. Girls, get some girls you can be real with. Guys, get some guys you can be real with.P.S. Whenever I hear someone ask for an unspoken prayer request I think in my head, "that dude is having an affair, he laundered money, he is making meth in his basement or he is doing all of the above." That's why it's usually better to just be upfront.
Why create "Stuff Christians Like?"
13 comments:
I particularly am bothered when the old lady at Wednesday night prayer meeting rehashes every dark and dirty detail about someone's chronic constipation, breast lesions, or oozing sockets, and then tags on an "unspoken" for herself.
Oh man. I was a junior high youth group leader for several years and I had never heard of this until it became popular among my Discipleship Group girls for a spell. I remember thinking "What the heck does that mean???" One girl said it once and then it was picked up by a few others. It was 100% clear that it was said for dramatic affect with absolutely nothing behind it. Honestly, how am I supposed to pray for an unspoken request? "Lord, uh.... do whatever it is you think is best with whatever it is Stacy was referring to in her dramatically vague request." I know I can be on the cynical sharp side of the Christian gang and I know it's just as bad to air your crap and detail your most recent medical woes in front of a church group but I couldn't help thinking "If you're not going to speak it, then don't speak it."
Having said all that, I've never heard an adult put forth an "unspoken request." Just lots of 12 year old girls who thankfully tired of it relatively quickly.
Most of the time I've heard it, it has been because a friend confided in another friend, and they can't say what the request is, so they ask for an unspoken request to be prayed for. Perhaps it is overused and abused, but there are some legitimate uses for that phrase. Unlike a $49.99 crown of thorns. ;o)
hey... how about having an "unspoken praise". A friend used that one at the conservative christian college he was going to. Needless to say, his group leader was none-too-happy... I crack up whenever I hear that now... "unspoken PRAISE".
I agree that I never know what this means. I don't know how to pray for them if I don't 'know' what to pray for. Are you about to undergo medical tests? Are you afraid of the dark? Do you want to take a trip? What?
I first heard the "unspoken prayer request" from my youth pastor's wife a couple months ago. I could understand why she wouldn't want to tell certain stuff to a bunch of teenagers, but I always wondered why she doesn't just keep it to herself. She's the only one I ever heard do it and she still does it every now and again. It just makes you so curious what's so bad that you can't speak of it in public.
Sometimes you and the person who is going to pray for you both know exactly what you're talking about but you don't really want to let the whole world know. Because then people ask a lot of questions.
@ Lauren:
um, hello? Like that wouldn't create a lot more questions, along the lines of "meth labs and affairs"? Seriously.
I know a youth pastor who got fired for telling his teens he had an "unspoken prayer request". It got blown out of proportion by the church elders who assumed he was struggling with some sexual secrets/sin. So, um...yeah...If you can't talk about it, just keep it between you and God or get some counseling or something.
Unspoken prayer requests have been around a whole lot longer than most of ya'll, bless your hearts. I've never wondered what the "sin they're in" was, but do usually wonder what they want me to pray for, really. I don't think it's that hard to pray for, God, move in this situation. Easy enough, eh?
And, why can't people pray for it even if you're not comfortable saying it out loud? Who gave ya'll the keys to the front door and said that only the things you actually know about deserve prayer? :o)
Quit worrying about things so much and give a little grace, eh?
BTW, even if I had liked them, I would never have admitted to owning or listening to Stryper or Petra or any of those myriad other terrible music groups mentioned before.
Unspoken prayer request = Help me not masturbate.
Unspoken praise = I didn't masturbate.
Totally. I was in a study where the same guy had an unspoken prayer request every week for a whole school year. Every time he mentioned it my speculation about what it might involve got wilder and wilder.
Totally of topic but...
"BTW, even if I had liked them, I would never have admitted to owning or listening to Stryper or Petra or any of those myriad other terrible music groups mentioned before."
...this preceded by "show a little grace" Now i will bash something that apparently a lot of people have enjoyed. Show a little grace, eh?
When said in a youth group setting(from my experience as a youth grouper and then a youth counsellor) an unspoken request is usually dealing with lust when it comes from a guy. And salvation for the cute guy at school so I can date him when it comes from a girl.
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