Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NIV

It was a Wednesday morning. There I was, exhausted and on edge, running on what was probably pure stress and adrenaline at that point. I was doing my weekly AM carpool duty, which consisted of standing on the curb for 20 minutes before school, waving an endless line of cars further down to keep the flow moving. 

As the students got out of the vehicles, I looked at the adults who were dropping them off. All of a sudden, I realized that every single one of them had a story happening right at that moment, which I knew nothing about. I immediately started praying.

Twenty-four hours earlier, Tuesday morning, I was the one dropping off my three kids at carpool. I had been up most of the night because my husband had taken one of our daughters to the ER for suspected appendicitis while I stayed home with the others and waited for his updates throughout the night. At about 4:30 am, he called to tell me she’d likely have surgery that day. I immediately drove to school to set up emergency sub plans. Then I came home just in time to get the other kids dressed and ready for school. I dropped them off in the carpool line and then pulled over into an empty parking spot. For the first time since she’d left for the ER, I broke down and cried. After a few minutes, I composed myself enough to drive directly to the hospital, where we’d be for the next 14 hours.  

None of the school staff or other drivers that day had any idea what I was going through, or that anything was out of the ordinary for me. Were any of them praying for me when I needed it so much? 

This is what I suddenly realized on that Wednesday morning. We never know what people are going through or what pain they’re masking—but God does. Today, I encourage you to pray without ceasing for everyone you encounter: parents, students, and staff, because your prayer might be coming exactly at the time when they need it the most.

Lord God, thank You for the privilege of prayer. What an honor it is to have the opportunity of intercession for others. Thank You, Jesus, for allowing us to come to You with all of our worries and cares.  Thank You for always being there to listen, no matter what time of day or night. Thank You for the freedom to pray without ceasing. Please give us a soft heart for those around us and a sensitive spirit to Your leading. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, Amen.

Copyright Rhapsody Jordan-Parisi. 

Rhapsody is a Christian Educators member and high school English teacher from North Carolina. She is passionate about helping overwhelmed teachers reclaim their time and peace of mind through support, encouragement, and intentional strategies. You can connect with her at tightropeteaching.com.