About 7 weeks ago I had major surgery. I’ve had a few medical procedures before but this was my first major one with an overnight hospital stay. I coded in the recovery room when they pushed 6mg of morphine for pain before I was ever fully awake but thank God I’m still here and that’s a testimony for another time.
The initial recovery time for this surgery is six to eight weeks. I had a lot of issues the first six weeks with reactions to the nerve medicine I was prescribed and another medication that I was on. It was causing all kinds of pains and symptoms and I couldn’t tell what was coming from where. Was it the pain from surgery? Was it an infection setting up? Was something else more serious happening as a result? Was I having complications? I didn’t know and it was causing anxiety to rear its ugly head.
One day in the midst of all that, I was needing someone to pray for me because I was all prayed out. The tears wouldn’t stop and I just wanted, needed even, someone else to take the reigns for a few moments. My husband was at work and I was tired of bothering him and close sister’s in Christ with the same things over and over again. I was getting on my own nerves and didn’t want to bother others that I knew and were close to me. I needed an outside source, someone who didn’t know me or the situation, who would let me explain what I was going through and how I was feeling and where I was at spiritually so they could pray over me with a fresh perspective.
So I called a prayer line. This prayer line is to one of the many large ministries known world wide. Their doctrine is sound and I’ve called this prayer line before a handful of times when I needed an outside perspective and prayer and the person(s) that I’ve spoken with have always been kind, sincere and genuinely concerned for my well being. This is why I have their phone number set as one of my “favorites” in my phone. Quick access when I need it.
So when I call this number there is of course a recording when the line first picks up where you choose why you are calling, or what department you want, more or less. I selected the prayer line. A brief moment of music played as I was transferred and a recording saying someone would be with me as soon as they were available. I do not know how many people they have on staff or volunteer for this service but I’ve never gotten the same person twice.
When a lovely woman finally came on the line, I expected a greeting somewhere along the lines of “Good afternoon, we are so glad you reached out today, how can we pray for you?”
Instead, I was greeted with, “Hello, thank you for calling, how do you listen to *insert name of ministry here*?”
It stopped me in my tracks. I almost hung up the phone. If this had been my first time calling I probably would have because it hit my spirit the wrong way. I was in the middle of an active anxiety/panic attack needing someone to pray with me, over me, for me, and here they were wanting to know how I listen to their ministry?
I get it. In today’s society there are multitudes of ways to “hear” the Word, from YouTube and Instagram to podcasts and Spotify, and it would be nice to know where people benefit the most and give a company/business/service an idea of where to invest more of their time, resources and money.
However, a prayer line? This is where they chose to ask the question? A prayer line, where I’m sure they know from experience, people are calling in their most desperate moments for a listening ear and prayer over their situation and this is the most important question to ask when someone gets on the line? Where do you listen to us?
I’ll be honest, it cheapened the moment for me. It made me think less of this particular ministry and I’ve been talking to God about it ever since. It made me feel like what I was calling about wasn’t important and could wait while they checked off a box.
When did we cheapen Christianity? What cost is Christianity today? It used to be the cost of your life in some cases (ask any one of Jesus’ desciples) and here we are in 2025 so concerned with what avenue a person listens to our ministry that we would put their burden on hold for a moment to find out where or how.
James 5:16 NKJV
[16] Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
When the woman with the issue of blood pushed her way through the crowd and touched the hem of Jesus’ robe, did he stop and ask how she heard of him?
When moments before, Jairus fell down at his feet asking that he come and lay hands on his sick daughter, did Jesus stoop down and ask, “Which synagogue did you hear me preach at?”
Or when the centurion asked Jesus to just speak the words that his servant may be healed, did Jesus say, “Tell me first where you heard I could do that?”.
What is the price of Christianity? Is it “likes”, “stars”, and “thumb ups”? I wonder what kind of letters Paul would be writing to these large ministries in 2025. I wonder how far removed we as Christians have become from true, Christ-like ministry. It starts with each of us and how we treat others.
I Corinthians 8:9 NKJV
[9] But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.
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