06/14/2026
Day 166 of 365. Battle Ready #5 of 5 - Christ, A Prayer from the Heart by Thomas Sherrod.
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people” (Ephesians 6:18 NIV).
The day did not go as I had hoped. A young student at the adolescent mental health unit where I worked had violently threatened several staff members and myself. Throughout the day he refused several overtures for conversation from staff members. He eventually initiated an incident and had to be restrained. How unfortunate! However, as I reflect on this encounter some 45 years later, I see a slightly different picture. He remains the only student whose full name I remember. I have prayed for him periodically over the years and wondered what became of him. He would be in his early sixties now. I will continue to persevere in prayer for him. On a positive note, I do not recall him having any more severe outbursts the remainder of my time working there. Maybe we made a difference in his life. However, I was glad I was prepared for a possible confrontation. If we had not taken his threat seriously, he may have done harm to a staff member or himself. I do not demonize him, for he fought with his own demons. As Christians, Paul instructs us to always be ready, knowing what we are up against in this world.
Read the full devotional at https://www.cancercompanion.org/365-devotional-blog/battle-ready5-of-5-prayer-from-the-heart
