Day 20 Prayers for Community

Ask God to provide a strong support system and community around them.

Galatians 6:2

"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

One thing your loved one will hear frequently when they enter recovery is that they need new playmates and new playgrounds. To maintain their sobriety and recovery, they often have to cut ties with the people they have been spending most of their time with. That’s not an easy thing to do and recovery works best when they replace these destructive influences with healthy relationships. One of the core beliefs of our church is that you can’t do life alone and that is especially true when you are entering recovery. Just locking yourself away from the world does not work long term. The people we see the most success in are the ones that build that healthy accountability team and recovery community and begin truly doing life with them.

Contrary to what a lot of people believe, the sober lifestyle can be a lot of fun when done correctly and you don’t have to deal with those awful hangovers. Having a community of people that you can rely on, talk to, and spend time with is an important part of building a new life that does not tempt you to turn back to your old ways. It can be scary for loved ones to give them the freedom to do this. They have most likely destroyed the trust in their relationships with us and we have no idea who can be trusted to support them and who will tempt them to relapse. We have to trust them to make those decisions and pray that God guides them on the right path. It’s simply one more of those things we can’t control.

I also pray for community support for you. I know a lot of churches aren’t prepared to deal with problems like addiction and when you open up you may receive judgement or well-intentioned bad advice. I pray you find a Christian community of people that stand with you in prayer for your loved one, that uplifts and encourages you, and that support you in whatever you may need along the way. We all need people in our lives that listen and at least try to understand and support us. If you don’t have that in your life, I again suggest you find a recovery meeting such as Celebrate Recovery, Recovery Alive, or Al-Anon near you. It can be a game changer.

May God bless you on this journey!

Precious Heavenly Father,

Today we come before You with hearts full of hope, asking that You surround our addicted loved ones with a strong, loving, and supportive community. Lord, we know that no one can walk this journey alone, and we pray that You place people in their lives who will encourage them, lift them up, and hold them accountable as they work toward healing and recovery.

We ask that You provide friends, family, mentors, and counselors who will walk beside them in love and support. Help them to feel embraced by the care and kindness of others, and may they find strength in knowing they are not alone. Lord, build a network of people who will help guide them and remind them of Your endless love and grace.

May their support system be a reflection of Your goodness, bringing them peace, strength, and hope on this journey. We trust in Your provision and believe in Your power to bring the right people into their lives.

In Jesus’ mighty name,Amen.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up."

Hebrews 10:24-25

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

1 Thessalonians 5:11

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

James 5:16

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

Psalm 133:1

"How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!"