James 5:16 – Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. ESV
This is a familiar verse to those in recovery and it has many components to it. First we see that we are instructed to confess to one another, this highlights the relational nature of healing in recovery. We are to also pray for each other. This scripture takes these two things, confession to and prayer for others, and tells us that it puts us in a position to be healed, not that we will be healed, just that we are in a place where we can be healed. It then adds that the prayer of a righteous person has great power, other translations of scripture use the word “effective.” The word translated as “working” (or effective) is a derivative of the Greek word “energeo”, meaning with energy, implying a deep fervency and sincerity of prayer.
Spend a little time today meditating on this subject and applying it to your own situation. Use the following two guiding questions. How are you doing with being open and honest about yourself with trusted and godly people? Are you diligent in prayer for those who may have shared something difficult with you?
