The US is on fire. Literally.

Peaceful protests denouncing racism and police brutality have turned violent and for almost a week we have seen the situation escalate. There’s no denying we need prayer, and we need it now.

We have family members and friends in the law enforcement community who have been afraid to go to work over the last few days, fearing for their safety. In an already injured economy due to COVID-19, some business owners are suffering yet again as they stand by and watch looting and destruction of their property. It’s heartbreaking and of course we want it to stop.

But I’m afraid there might be a temptation to pray only for a quick resolution, for peace in the streets for the sake of peace of mind. To pray for the violence to end and cleanup to begin so we can get on with whatever “normal” we had before all of this began.

I don’t think we can do that. It’s not the whole picture. Rather than simply praying for the symptom of the problem, I think we need to dig deeper and pray all the way down to the roots of these protests: deep pain that is based in most cases on personal stories and experiences that leave individuals feeling marginalized and largely unheard.

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? - Isaiah 58:6 (NIV)

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. - Proverbs 31:8 (NLT)

Jesus spoke so many times about justice, about speaking up for those who don’t have a voice. Wherever we see anger growing, we need to dig deeper to uncover the story behind it.

Let me be clear: looting, vandalism and violence cannot be condoned, and should never be considered appropriate means of protest. But when we as Christians are confronted with a group of people expressing so much pain and frustration, we cannot sit back and ignore it. Whether we feel the pain ourselves or not - or even understand it - we must acknowledge that it’s there and take a moment to reflect and pray for God to give us eyes to see through the anger and into the stories behind it.

I’ve listened to some of those stories this week. I’ve learned some things about the day-to-day struggles with racism some of my friends face that have left me in tears. At 43 years old, I had no idea. No. Idea.

Maybe you’re like me and had no idea. Or maybe you’re far too familiar with racism. We all have our stories. Things that have shaped how we see the world and particularly how we see people who look, act or believe differently from us. Regardless of our race, we all need to pay attention not only to the stories of others, but to our own. We need to revisit them using our God-glasses, examining our hearts through the lens of scripture. We need to ask God to uncover any hidden racism or bias in our own hearts and to repent and commit to doing our very best to be the hands and feet of Jesus to every human we come in contact with and to stand up to injustice wherever it rears its ugly head.

The very best news is that God is on his throne today, just as he is on days when everything seems to be “just fine.”

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:29 (NIV)

In fact, I like to think that God finds great pleasure in taking the things that the enemy intends for evil and repurposing them to bring glory to himself and accomplishing his Kingdom work! Wherever there is movement, whether we consider it “good” or “bad,” God is moving.

Here are some things we can all be praying for today:

• Repent: We need to begin by asking God to search our hearts and to draw out racism in any form that might be polluting our hearts and minds

• for blind eyes to be opened: for God to open our eyes to pain and injustice in the world; for those blinded by pain or anger to see clearly

• for a spirit of peace to wash over the protests and violence to end: that God would uproot any spirit of anger, bitterness or rage and replace it with peace and love

• for meaningful dialogue to occur that would result in racial healing, as well as systemic changes that would result in racial equality: on the personal level between everyday people like you and me; in churches across the world; at the local, state, national and worldwide levels

• for the police force: that corrupt officers would be quickly identified and removed; for protection for the upstanding officers trying to make a difference and protect their communities; for God to raise up Christian leaders in the police force who will not only stand up for what is right but spread the gospel in an unprecedented way

• for business owners affected by looting: that God would provide for them in every way, for communities and churches to rally around them and help them rebuild; for protection from any more looting and destruction

• for those who feel voiceless to have their voices heard

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it’s a start. My prayer is that as we pray over these issues, God will prompt us to action as well. Healing starts within each one of us, and as Christians we need to be on the front lines of seeking justice and meaningful change. Lord, hear our prayers!

~Jaime

PS: If you’d like to pray along in person, visit https://youtu.be/T5HbzwJO59M (video) or https://anchor.fm/praying-christian-women/episodes/106-Prayer-for-Racial-Healing-eese5t (audio only) for our podcast episode on racial healing.