We arrived at the doctor’s office and they prepped my husband for surgery.  The doctor entered the room and stopped, placing his hand on John’s shoulder, “I pray with all my patients prior to surgery, do you mind if I pray for you?”

Have you ever intended to ask for prayer and because of busyness forgot to ask?  In preparation for my husband’s surgery I remembered to eliminate vitamins and medicines that might be blood thinners.  His surgery was scheduled on our calendar.

Doctor appointments, preparing food for a friend, and playing golf the day before the surgery (because he would not be able to play for two weeks) filled my schedule.  I failed to contact family and let them know the specific time of the surgery.

Sometimes we think we can handle it, right?  “I’ve got this” we convey to others.  It was only a minor surgery to remove a small sore on his arm.  The doctor had biopsied it a few weeks before.  The result was basil cell carcinoma cancer.  Not to worry right?

The day of the surgery, I talked to my sister on the phone and told her the results of the biopsy.  She shared with me that her husband’s skin cancer began as a basil cell carcinoma.  Her husband died two months ago from skin cancer.

Kind of changed the scenario.  Maybe it was not just a minor surgery.  No time now to contact people to pray.  I needed to be at my computer, just can’t text that much information on my phone.

How often do we have the attitude “I’ve got this.”  In the busyness of life we somehow think we are in control of things.  The smartphone keeps us organized with our calendars and to do lists.  We are self-sufficient in so many areas.

The definition of self-sufficient is: – able to maintain oneself or itself without outside aid; capable of providing for one’s own needs.  We operate that way most of the time, don’t we.  At least I do.  Sure, I pray and seek God’s guidance and help.  But we need others to come along side of us and share the burdens of life.

Here are some suggestions to help us remember to ask for prayer:

• Plan ahead – place prayer request on your calendar
• Email friends and family of need
• Contact your church
• Share need with prayer groups
• Facebook – good for prayer requests

Praise God, he had someone pray for my husband even though I forgot to ask for prayer.  What a comfort the prayers of the doctor were to my remorseful soul.  Thank God for a Christian doctor.

Are you drifting into self-sufficiency and not relying on the prayers of friends and family?  Maybe it’s time to seek the support of others.  But most important, seek the all sufficiency of God.  He is our greatest resource.

2 Corinthians 3:5 King James Version (KJV)

⁵ Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;