The Hardest Place To Pray

I write this from an ICU waiting room.
My friend is having a triple bypass and the family asked me here for prayer support.
After all, isn't that what Pastor's do? Offer prayer cover and faith in difficult times?
How often have you said, "I'll lift you up on prayer" then failed to pray?
Ever wonder why that is?
The answer is uncomfortable.
If we honestly believed that prayer made a difference, we would pray about everything.
If we believed in the power of prayer, then it would be a priority and nothing would stop us from falling on our knees, lifting our hands to heaven, and pouring out our hearts cry to Almighty God.
So for a "real world experience", let me share my today with you.
I fired up our church prayer chain. And solicited all the prayers from as many areas as I could think of. My friend has a very large family and each of them fired up all the prayers they could muster.
The result?
The doctors found that my friends heart was in terrible shape and required 8 hours of surgery.
I told my friends wife that this was a good thing. And that as long as the doctors were under the hood, they should change out the belts, conduct a lube oil filter service, rotate the tires and change the air fresher all at the same time.
She bravely smiled as tears leaked down her cheeks.
The doctors later informed us that his lungs were filling with fluid and that it was only by the grace of God that he got to the hospital on time. And yes, that was almost a quote of what the doctor said. Then the surgeon informed us that the next 48 hours were critical in my friends recovery but that he would be praying for him. That was twice that I heard surgeon make reference to God's healing powers.
So at the end of today, did prayer make any difference?
Without a doubt!
The surgeon found a defective heart valve that needed to be replaced.
The surgeon found a totally plugged heart artery.
The surgeon found a number of partially plugged arteries in the heart.
And last but not least, the surgeon explained to us that when my friend's body realized that there was a totally plugged artery in his heart, that his heart muscle grew a new artery to carry blood. He admitted that the new artery was not very effective but when you are clinging to life, miracles come in all sizes.

James 5:13, "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray"

Hebrews 4:16, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need"

Matthew 13:58, "And He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief"