I’m Praying For You

So where do I begin in talking about this song? “I’m Praying For You” is a song about backsliding. It’s a song about walking away from God. It’s a song that’s very personal to me in many, many ways. I wrote it about someone I care about who seemingly just walked away from Jesus. I still pray for this person and hope that someday they’ll find their way back to God and open their heart to Him again.

I wish I could say they were the only one I know who has walked away. The thing is, they are just one of many who have slowly or suddenly just closed the door and turned their back on God.

Some people who have walked away were people I only knew from a distance or met briefly; they were well known public figures in the church who seemed like pillars that would never fall. Others were girlfriends and close friends who used to sing and pray and talk with me about Jesus. We went to church together, we dated, we lived life like Jesus mattered- and then, He didn’t anymore. They went on to do other things that seemed more important to them I guess.

How do people fall away from Jesus? What causes someone who is so in love with Him to end up being so cold and indifferent?

Some of my closest friends, ones who burned with such love and passion for Jesus that it was literally visible for the whole world to see, flickered out to the point I could no longer detect a flame!

One of my former pastors fell away into adultery. He had a thriving ministry and family and everything a man could want and threw it all away. Do any of us plan our lives this way? As bad as what he did was, I believe this guy started out with every good intention. Still, somewhere down the road he took a wrong turn and ended up in a very deep ditch. He didn’t wake up one day and decide to sin against God, his wife, his kids and his church. He didn’t plan to trash his life and step down in disgrace. At one time this man was a torch for Christ and gave his whole heart to God; he was excited to be a new creation and wanted to lead a life pleasing to His Lord. He wasn’t a a religious scam artist, imposter or fake. I’m convinced he was just like every one of us who first comes to know Jesus- blazing with hope and expectation of a bright future! So what happened?

Shortly after being saved I heard Pastor Charles Stanley talk about the terrible effects of erosion and the toll sin eventually takes upon our lives by degrees if we play with it or compromise. I’m sure that’s why the bible tells us…

“But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” – Hebrews 3:13

Scripture warns us about ourselves…

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” -Jeremiah 17:9

After being a Christian for 30 years, I can tell you I know the truth of this verse like the back of my hand! I have no trouble understanding how any of my friends fell away. Falling away is the central fact of the human heart. Few people have gotten the kind of start I did when I became a Christian- I was totally on fire for God and people could see it from a mile away. In my excitement and love for Him I thought I could never grow lukewarm or be cold. He gave me so much, but you know what? I’ve managed to mess things up many, many times over the years! I’m as susceptible to falling as anyone, and have done so too many times.

If we manage to get back up and continue on it’s only because of the sheer grace and mercy of God and has nothing to do with us. If left to ourselves we would all fall away.

To those who think this just proves that the whole “Jesus thing” is a bunch of garbage, well, all I can say is that it actually really proves the bible’s point- we really do need Jesus! We are desperately lost without Him, all of us, whether we realize it or not. We can thank God that He sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.

So, we would do well to understand this about ourselves lest we think we’ll never be the one to fall.

“Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.” -Galatians 6:1

If we comprehend the truth of all this it should cause us to be merciful to ourselves and others, and to love and to pray for those who have backslidden or fallen away from God.