Throughout the Bible, we find numerous examples of people interceding for those God has entrusted to them, thereby demonstrating the importance of intercessory prayer.
For example, Jesus prays for his disciples.
Throughout his letters, Paul repeatedly prays for those he writes to and offers up his suffering for them.
Kings in the Old Testament pray to God for deliverance from invading armies.
Moses intercedes multiple times on behalf of the Israelites.
If these great leaders and Jesus Himself interceded for those in their care, we should do the same for those we minister to.
This article will talk about the importance of intercessory prayer for your ministry and how surrounding your ministry with intercession can actually help you to be more trauma-informed
A Quick Refresher on the Principles of Trauma-Informed Ministry
As a reminder, there are three principles for being trauma-informed in your ministry.
The first principle is knowledge. You need to learn more about how prevalent trauma is, its impacts, healing resources, and retraumatization (which is when something in a person’s environment reminds them of their experience and triggers a trauma reaction).
Second, aim to create an environment that is the opposite of trauma by promoting safety, control, positive relationships, and regulation.
Finally, aim to build resilience by fostering positive relationships, teaching healthy coping mechanisms (such as prayer), and recognizing and developing the strengths of those you work with.
To learn more about the principles of trauma-informed ministry, check out this article.
The Importance of Intercessory Prayer for Following the First Principle
A key part of being trauma-informed is recognizing how prevalent trauma is. According to one study by the World Health Organization, around 70% of people have or will face some form of trauma in their lifetime.
Recognizing the prevalence of trauma leads to realizing that you most likely are ministering to or will minister to someone who has faced trauma. This experience can have a profoundly negative impact on many areas of life.
Through intercessory prayer, we can surround those in our ministry wounded by trauma with prayer for their healing journey. Intercessory prayer then allows us to put this knowledge into practice.
The Importance of Intercessory Prayer for Following the Second Principle
Trauma involves a lack of safety, a lack of control, a lack of regulation, and a lack of positive relationships.
God Himself is the opposite of trauma. When we intercede for those we minister to, we allow the Lord to come into our ministry.
He is a safe place and a refuge (Psalm 62:8). He is a place of rest and calm (Matthew 11:28-30). He gives us a spirit of power (2 Timothy 1:7). He is a relationship of three persons, and invites us into this relationship.
By inviting God into our ministry, we allow Him to make it a place that is the opposite of trauma.
The Importance of Intercessory Prayer for Following the Third Principle
First, part of building the resilience of those we minister to is recognizing and developing their strengths. Through our intercessory prayer, God can give us insights into the unique gifts He has given to those we work with.
Second, when we pray consistently, we set an example for those we minister to. Regular prayer is one way to boost resilience.
In short, intercessory prayer is essential for trauma-informed ministry because it enables us to intercede for the healing of those we minister to, even if we are not aware of their whole story. It allows us to bring God, who is the opposite of trauma, into our work. It will enable us to recognize others’ strengths and model habits that build resilience.
Some Ways to Engage in Intercessory Prayer for Your Ministry
- Pick a patron saint for your ministry and make a point of asking for their intercession. Here are some patrons for different ministries of the Church:
- St. Cecilia: Music
- St. John Bosco: Youth ministry
- Sts. Anne and Joachim, Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin: Marriages and families
- St. John Vianney: Priests
- St. John Baptist de La Salle: Teachers
- Collect prayer intentions from those you minister to. Pray for these intentions, and for any unnamed needs of those you work with, before the Blessed Sacrament.
- Pray before and after events, and ask for the Holy Spirit to come into them.
- Pray the Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet for your ministry.
- Pray for your ministry while attending Mass.
- Pray together at meetings for the group’s intentions.
- Fast for those in your ministry.
Conclusion
Intercessory prayer is a crucial part of applying trauma-informed principles to your ministry. I encourage you to choose one of the ways listed above to begin interceding for your ministry.