Pray for what?

So I continued my last post because I wanted to talk more about praying about certain things.

I'd love to get opinions and feedback on what others think about this.

When it comes to something like health or safety of others of course we all pray for the best, right? My son was leaving for a trip, and in fact my husband will be here very soon as well. First reaction is to begin praying that all should make it there and back safely and in one piece. But is that really how we should be praying?

Lately I have been in various bible studies and read several articles that teach that we shouldn't always be praying for "good stuff" but that we should be praying for strength, wisdom and guidance through the "bad stuff" Notice I didn't say "out of the bad stuff"

In James there is a verse that says "Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds." James 1:2 How do you understand this? I understand it to mean that if you are in the midst of trouble, then congratulations because your life is about to be changed by God! Now of course we aren't going to be smiling our way through the whole thing. Most times there will be stress, crying, fear etc. But we should never lose our joy. Remember joy doesn't equal happiness. They are very different. We can lose our happiness on a daily basis, but if we are a child of God we should never lose our JOY.

Instead of praying for a way out we should be praying for a way through our situation.

So again, how do we pray for loved ones about to leave home on a trip? How do we pray for loved ones who aren't feeling well? Do we only pray for healing all the time? Do we only pray for safety all the time? If that's not how we should pray then how should we?

This was my battle before Levi left for his trip to CA. I of course began praying for safety, but then after conviction I thought maybe my prayer was selfish. It was all about me. I wanted him to be safe for me! But what about God's will? We're supposed to be praying for God's will to be done. What if this time God's will was something other than mine?

So my prayers changed for a few days, suddenly I began praying "Lord, your will be done, I pray your will is to bring Levi home safely but if it isn't, Lord, please give me strength and peace to be able to handle the situation you are about to put on our family."

It finally came to a point where I couldn't pray any more. I honestly didn't know how to pray. I couldn't pray for safety, I couldn't pray for God's will to be done because I had no idea what His will was! It was that very same day I lost the words to pray that my cousin whom I love dearly posted this verse on Facebook... Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words.” Romans 8:2

That same day and for the rest of time until my little boy was back in my arms my only prayer was "Jesus, you're going to have to read my heart and pray for me because I am just not able to do it right now!"

Here is the rest of James 1:2-4:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

So my faith was tested. I'm hoping that the fact that I stopped praying for MY will to be done and started praying the Lord's will be done is at least a passing grade on my prayer report card.