Day 5 – Pray Publicly in a Large Gathering
Do you know the #1 fear of Americans? According to the Washington Post the #1 fear of Americans is speaking in public. Public speaking is followed closely by heights, and then snakes, drowning, needles and claustrophobia.
How about you – what is your greatest fear? How do you feel about praying in public?
I don’t think I have the space or capability on this blog to calm your fears of public speaking. I do want to encourage you to pray out loud in a large public gathering for 3 reasons.
- Jesus is pleased with us humbly talking to Him. Jesus taught that we are not to make a show of our praying to Him, but to pray with humbleness.
- Others are encouraged and actually learn from the way we pray. I follow traits of others when I listen to them pray, and the way you say something may just be the encouragement they need to pray out loud.
- Others agree and pray with you. In a large crowd there will be those who just listen to your prayer, but others will agree and join you in the petitions and cries to the Lord. Know you are not alone.
Some may ask how do I even begin to pray in public? I would suggest talking to your pastor or other church leader and express a desire to pray when they sense the right time from the Lord. You should express your apprehensions, and they should in turn encourage you by praying for you as you pray!