I have spent hours striving to communicate with my son, Darrell, who lives with Bipolar II disorder because I didn’t understand at times Darrell’s ability to communicate was shutdown. Numerous times I thought I was successful in helping Darrell understand a concept, only to discover a short time later he didn’t grasp what I was trying to convey.
Ability to Communicate Shutdown
If you are trying to talk to someone whose ability to communicate is shutdown, I have learned through first-hand experience it is more effective to focus on light while praying that God will deliver the message to your loved one.
Praying when Ability to Communicate is Shutdown
Because of exasperation and discouragement when Darrell’s ability to communicate is shut down, I turned to God for help, and accidentally discovered praying authentically from my heart is much more effective than speaking to Darrell. Through diligent prayer, God often answers my requests, a mother’s requests.
I have prayed that my son would understand……
- Why someone is not a good person to have a relationship with
- Why he needs to go to the doctor
- What is socially acceptable versus socially unacceptable
- What is truth or a lie
- That he will be happier if he engages in activities that promote light
The situation generally improves immediately, and if I continue to offer authentic heartfelt prayers, rather than worrying, the situation continues to gradually improve. In all situations, prayer has been more effective than talking to my son.
Applying this new knowledge on others – praying when the ability to communicate is shutdown
Because “praying for” instead of “talking to” my son has been so successful, I began to apply this new knowledge on others. My experience has taught me when this tip is used for anyone even when communication is NOT shut down, the results are favorable. So much so, I feel safe stating that praying for others while focusing on light is more effective and powerful than trying to speak to anyone about ways to improve life situations or giving any type of advice.
Increased love through prayer
Praying along with loving people while handing your burdens to God, are steps that bless you and others. Praying authentically from the heart is a service, and when you serve someone, your love for that individual grows. So in other words, sincerely praying for others results in increasing your love for them too. Since everyone responds positively to the power of love, but rarely responds favorably to unsolicited advice, prayer is a smart choice.
Proofs increase faith
Through the process of praying for others, I have witnessed proofs (things I believe occurred because of my petition to God for something). These “proofs” increase my faith which increases the effectiveness of my prayers. I explain this process in my blog titled, “Formula for Prayer” if you desire to learn about this process.
Give the Burden Away
I often remind myself that life is going to be difficult unless I remember to give my burdens (problems) to God rather than thinking I can tackle them by myself. It is actually easier to stop and pray because I continue to be unsuccessful at solving my own problems. I ask God to carry my burdens until He decides to solve it for me or He enlightens my mind to understand the steps to take to solve a problem. It saves so much time when I trust God and remember to humbly pray to ask Him to help me with my burdens.
Conclusion
Through first-hand experience, I have learned authentically praying for your loved ones is more powerful than talking to them about how to solve a problem.
Top Featured Photo by Kristopher Roller
