13 ways to pray during the coronavirus
Since I wrote my last article on the coronavirus, the world has pretty much ground to a halt.
This is actually the third post I’ve written on the coronavirus pandemic since I wrote my last post a few weeks ago. But the situation is changing so fast that, while one post is in progress, more news pours in and whatever I wrote has become yesterday’s news.
Now my state, Michigan, is under a stay-at-home order until the middle of April. So I have a little extra time for now, and hopefully I will spend some of it writing. And unlike the posts I previously tried to write, I believe that the thoughts contained in this post are timeless.
Throughout the last few weeks, you’ve seen people react to this pandemic in every way imaginable. Some people react with panic and clean out the grocery stores, hoarding toilet paper as though the apocalypse were upon us. Some people are flippant, believing that everyone is overreacting and this is “just another flu.” Some people are just bored. And a lot of people are angry. Some are angry that the government dragged its feet and let COVID-19 overtake the United States, and others are angry at the economic catastrophe that the lockdown is bringing about.
It’s easy to react with anger. But the harder way to react, and the way we must react, is with humility before God. Because ultimately, it is God who is in control—even in control of the things that make us anxious, angry, frustrated, or bored.
That’s why the Scripture says this:
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
In times like these, such a thing might at first sound cliche, simplistic, trite. If you’re a Christian, you probably know that of course we need to pray. But knowing that we need to pray and actually doing it are two different things. Are we actually praying? And if so, what are we praying for?
James tells us: The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16b)
That means that, despite the derision the phrase “thoughts and prayers” has gotten over the last few years, prayers do make a difference. God acts based on the things his people pray. As such, praying actually accomplishes far more than tweets, social media posts (including blogs like this one), or anything else.
The people at the center of this plague—whether they are the politicians in charge or the gravely ill—are human beings, just like you and me, who are frail human beings completely dependent on God’s grace and mercy. And there are many different people who specifically need our prayers for their situations. If the prayer of a righteous person is truly powerful and effective, then we should not deprive the world of the effect our prayers can bring about. So I want to turn the focus on 13 ways to pray during this pandemic:
13 things to pray
Pray for the sick. As of now (March 27), around 500,000 people in the world have been confirmed to have the coronavirus. The true number is probably much higher since tests are so limited and many sick people probably just don’t get tested. Pray for their emotional and spiritual well-being, and for their physical healing.
Pray for the government. God commands us to pray for the governing authorities in any case (1 Timothy 2:1-2), and they need our prayers all the more during this time of crisis. Most governments are navigating uncharted territory as they try to find ways to curtail COVID’s spread while not depriving people of their human rights. Pray for governments at the local, state, and federal levels. Pray not just for your own government, but for all governments, especially in those nations hit hardest by the virus, such as Italy, Spain, France, and the UK, as well as the US. Pray not only that they can take measures to protect their people from COVID-19, but also protect their people’s livelihoods from the inevitable devastating economic fallout.
Pray for the healthcare system and healthcare workers. We’ve heard stories and predictions of healthcare systems becoming overwhelmed by a massive influx of patients infected with COVID-19. We’ve seen it happen in Italy on a frightening scale, and doctors and nurses are fearful of it happening here. At best, a lot of healthcare workers are going to be working in high stress and high pressure for hours at a time. At worst, workers are going to have to make heart-wrenching decisions about the allocation of limited resources. They will also, of course, be exposed to countless sick people and so are at increased risk themselves. Pray that they have the ability to handle all these things and perform the lifesaving work God has led them to.
Pray for the scientists working on a vaccine. Healthcare workers in hospitals aren’t the only ones who will be under high pressure. The medical community is also under high pressure to create a working vaccine as soon as possible. No doubt many workers are putting in long hours day after day, and their work is often forgotten about. Pray for them to have success in creating a strong and successful vaccine that will stop the virus’s spread and save millions of lives.
Pray for safety for the people you know. Depending on who you ask, anywhere from 20-80% of people could be infected with COVID-19 eventually. Even in the most optimistic scenario, you are likely to know several people who get the virus, and probably one or two who will be hospitalized from it. This is even true if you’re young—some studies indicate that as many as 1 in 7 young people who test positive end up in the hospital. Pray for the safety of those in your neighborhood, your church, and your family, that they would be able to avoid infection, and if they are infected, to get the care they need to pull through.
Pray for the isolated and lonely and afraid. The number of people under stay-at-home orders is increasing by the day. While some people are at least able to be isolated with their families, not everyone has this luxury. There are many who live alone with no way to visit friends. There are some who are trapped in unsafe and abusive homes. These people need companionship, and maybe you could be one who provides that. But for those you don’t know or can’t reach, pray that they experience God’s presence and that God brings people into their lives to give them company.
Pray for pastors and spiritual leaders. No pastor or leader knows how to do this. This is a historic event with no clear precedent. Pastors and spiritual leaders always covet their peoples’ prayers, and they need them more than ever now. Pray that they can have wisdom to navigate these circumstances in a way that best fits their church community. Pray that their communities will survive and even grow during this time, and not give way to fear. Especially pray for your own pastor. Pray that God would give your pastor wisdom to address this crisis in a way that builds up and exhorts your church community to fulfill Christ’s mission even now.
Pray for families who have lost jobs or may be about to lose jobs. The headlines are blaring the news every day: The economy is getting wrecked. Due to the compulsory shutdowns, millions of people are at risk of losing their jobs with each passing day because their workplaces can’t afford to pay them; many business owners are at risk of losing their businesses. Some estimates indicate that up to 30% of the workforce may be unemployed when this is over. Pray that these people would be provided for through this time.
Pray for those who still have to go to work. While the majority of workers in my state and many others get to safely quarantine themselves at home, there are still millions who cannot. Some people still work in essential services where it’s impossible to practice any form of social distancing or take sufficient precautionary measures. They are at much higher risk of getting sick. Pray that the workers in your local stores will be spared, and that if they do get sick, they’ll have access to any treatment they need. Pray that they will be provided for economically during this time, too, since many of them are already poorly paid and struggle to afford medical care.
Pray for the media. Everyone loves to criticize the media for their political biases and sensationalism. Much of that criticism is well-deserved. Nevertheless, the media are the gatekeepers of the information we need to navigate this crisis. Pray that they might convey that information in the best way possible so as to neither encourage panic nor flippancy.
Pray for each other. Pray for those that you know are praying for you. Even those who are not going to get sick are dealing with problems they’ve never dealt with before. Pray that others in your faith community would be able to help others, maintain their spiritual life, provide for their families, and that God will bring some good out of this crisis for them.
Pray for yourself. Many lists like this one on the Internet neglect to include this obvious truth: you need to pray for yourself! You need God’s presence and guidance and protection as much as anyone else. Your anxieties and fears and insecurities, whether you tend to suppress them or confront them, are important to God, and as I said in my last post, your spiritual enemies use these as weapons to hold you back from serving God and enjoying fully your relationship with him.
Pray for people’s salvation. As urgent as it is to pray for those suffering from the coronavirus, our ultimate enemy is not the coronavirus. Whatever the mortality rate for the coronavirus is, the mortality rate of death is 100%. Everyone will die and stand before God and be judged. For those who have surrendered their lives to Christ, the worst-case scenario in this or any pandemic is to die and be with Christ forever. So we should, above all else, pray for those who don’t know Christ—who haven’t surrendered their lives to Christ—to hear and listen to and understand the good news of what Jesus has done for us, of the gift Jesus offers us of forgiveness of sin and eternal life, and to turn away from their sins, to let go of themselves, and surrender to Christ and trust him to save them.
