The Surprising Gift of A Child’s Prayer

As she climbed up to join me on the couch, she inched her way closer and turned her head toward me. “Why are you sad, Mommy?” I wasn’t crying, but I know my face looked dejected and she could tell something was wrong. 

“Sometimes there are things in life that are really hard, and today is hard, and it’s just making me really sad.” She snuggled in a bit closer.

“Do you ever feel sad,” I asked her. She nodded. “What makes you feel sad?” 

“When people kick or hit or they’re mean.” 

We both paused, silent with our thoughts, and then I looked down at her and asked, “What can we do when we’re sad?”

“Pray. We can pray.”

“That’s right, honey. Will you pray for Mommy?”

“Yes.  Dear God, thank you that Mommy is sad. Please help her and send Jesus to be with her when she’s sad. Amen.”

Now I was crying. 

I looked at her again and with tears in my eyes said, “Thank you for praying for me. God does send Jesus to be with us when we’re sad so that was a perfect thing to pray. But you know what else he sent to me?”

She turned to me with a questioning look on her face.

“He sent you.”

She smiled, nuzzled into the crook of my arm, and we sat content in each other’s presence, knowing Jesus was with us too.

Photo by Eric Patnoudes on Unsplash