Don’t Tell Me Not To Pray!

Recent events in Nashville, Tennessee have caused quite a stir on social media from what I’ve read in articles. I may have left Facebook but I do still have Instagram to promote my art and follow other artists and interests. I witnessed firsthand some of the commotion.

I follow the Contemporary Christian musician Jeremy Camp. After the Christian school shooting on Monday, he posted the following:

I read some of the comments and my blood started to boil.

“Praying won’t do anything, need action within your government”

“We don’t need Jesus, we need legal change to be implemented :)”

“I’m sorry but it is time to stop praying and make legal change…”

Seriously? I am slow to anger, as the good Lord intended, but these comments made me want to flip a table good ol’ Jesus in the temple style.

The audacity for hundreds of people to tell others to stop praying and tell us it’s useless?

First off, if you feel that way, I’m gonna call you out as a bigot.

If I pray, I am doing no one any harm and affect you not at all. Why tell me not to pray other than your own internal hatred of Christians?

Secondly, prayer and taking action to affect change are NOT mutually exclusive! I mean, I can walk and chew gum at the same time, that kind of concept. I can pray and work towards getting policies changed that may prevent senseless shootings.

Third, I think people don’t understand what Christians pray for in situations like these. We don’t pray that God magic away these type of situations. God is not a magic genie to grant wishes to believers.

When I first read about the shooting just a couple hours after it was reported that day, what did I pray for?

I prayed for the families of those who were killed. I prayed for the parents of the children at the school. I prayed that God would somehow use this tragedy to move in that community.

I think I need to just cool off. I get so angry with the hypocrisy, bigotry, and venom that I see towards Christians, despite scripture telling me that it’s what is expected. You will be hated by everyone because of me… (Matt 10:22). It’s still a hard pill to swallow.

If you’re still with me, thanks for hearing me out in my moment of anger. I ask if you do pray, please join me in praying for those in Nashville. Please also pray for those who hold the belief we should stop praying because it is useless, may God work something amazing and show them the true power of prayer.