What's happening to me?

[~~ angelique ~~]

Of interest to me, a friend's father has been on my mind for several days. Yesturday the one Christian friend I have called me and told me that the same person had been on her mind. Is that considered confirmation?

[~~ angelique ~~]

The Holy Spirit can prompt us to pray for someone - when that person comes to mind.

Is your Counseller a christian?

I pray that she or anyone else trick you into believing that you have pyschic abilities or anything like this.

Pray to the Lord - ask Him what it is He is trying to show you?

blessings!

Yes, she is a christian. I am coming from a Wiccan background and I am new believer. So, no one has to trick me into anything as I have believed and experienced many paranormal events and abilities since I was a young child.

This is DIFFERENT which is why I was asking what was happening to me. I haven't experienced anything like this before. This is a new thing for me.

[~~ angelique ~~]

Angelique,

Yes, it sounds as if you may be called to bear burdens. You may also be being groomed as a prophet; prophets are often first burden bearers.

Burden Bearing (sometimes called intercession) can have a variety of "intensities". We are all called to be bear one another's burdens. Sometimes it means we pray whenever the Father brings someone to mind.

Other times there is an urgency to the thought that requires that we drop whatever we are doing (even if we are in the middle of a challenging hour-long final test at college: and He desires that we spend 20 minutes of that hour in prayer!!! - a pastor's life was being threatened at the time, and his life preserved, and the final came out great - as only He could arrange).

Sometimes it is for hours, and we have no name, no situation, no idea why we are being called to pray - but we are constrained to kneel in earnest prayer before His throne for hours at a time (2 witches were freed from the enemy's camp that night into our Father's kingdom). Usually, at least in the beginning, our Father confirms that "our thoughts and feelings" were indeed His Spirit communicating with ours by having us talk with the ones for whom we were praying and confirming dates, times, and the situation, as He has done for you.

Other times, it has been a heaviness, it looked like what the world would call a depression, when there is no reason in life, health or circumstances that would explain it, and again, no name, no situation, nothing... but later found an old friend who cried out during those same days to the Father, "Please, let Sal know, let her pray for me!!!"

But those were of short duration, minutes, hours, days. Some are for months, even years. Sometimes, He forges a friendship with the one to whom we are "assigned" that lasts during the time of the burden. At times, that ssignment may even be with one whom we would not have a natural relationship, but His grace reigns.

Sometimes, He calls us to take up the slack in their lives, babysit, tutor, do laundry, file court paperwork, whatever their pressing need might be.... on assignment from Him, so it is not 'charity' they will not 'owe you'. When they say "I couldn't ask you to do that" you remind them of the truth "You didn't, my Father did." Be very careful that this is the truth, that you are doing this in His leading and timing. It can be tempting to step into the place of the Savior, and instead of you leading them to Him, they are only seeing you, your compassion, your help and they become dependent on you (and you co-dependent, needing them to need you!)

Other times, it really is taking the emotional or spiritual burden of another. One minute you might be praising the Savior as you walk through your house and the next minute you are struck to your knees wailing for grief of their departed spouse/child - for the Father took some of their anguish and put it on you, as it was more than they could bear alone. It may be as they are holding the dying one in their arms, all alone, with no one physically around to comfort them; it seems as though you are "going crazy" until you learn of the event, happening during the very time you were crying out. (It helps when we trust not only our lives, but our sanity to Him.) Our precious Father knew they could not bear it alone. They might never know how they got through that day, but our Father does.

The most intense burden bearing I have heard of was the wife of the founder of the Church of God in Christ. She spent nearly every minute aside from essential survival functioning in prayer, intercession, and burden bearing for many years.

So, burden bearing can be as sweet as praying when we think of someone, or as intense as having the pain literally knock you to your knees in anguish. It can be for seconds or for years. Just remember, He loves you as much as He loves those whom He has placed on your heart. He is a gentleman. He will not force you, but He will stretch you. It is an honor and a privilege to have Him call on us, to have Him trust us so much that He will share with us the depths of the trials of His 'called ones', His Body, His Bride, His Heart. May we be faithful to listen to His Spirit and obey.

FYI - I had a friend once who was also a burden bearer, who was heart-broken when some mutual friends of ours divorced. She felt she had failed them, that she should have known that something was wrong. At least two things were a problem with that attitude: 1. Burden bearing is NOT about standing in the place of Savior for another. It is not our prayers that "save" or "rescue", it is His grace, His Power, His Mercy!!! It is what we do as His servants, we cannot "conjure" it up on our own. 2. We are NOT the Almighty!! We cannot carry the burdens of the world! He is wise, and not a tale-bearer! He will not tell us things that would be more than we could handle, that would harm us, our relationship with them, would compromise them... We are His servants. We are responsible to carry only those burdens HE has asked us to carry.

We do not choose the ones we carry, He does, for He is wise, He is good, He is Love.

Hi, I need to digest this a little more before I respond. It sounds like what is happening.

[His_Own]

Of interest to me, a friend's father has been on my mind for several days. Yesturday the one Christian friend I have called me and told me that the same person had been on her mind. Is that considered confirmation?

Yes, that would be confirmation, not only that you are to pray for him, but I would also consider it confirmation that you are being called to be a burden bearer.

[OneLight]

I have been experiencing something and don't know what is happening to me. At first, I started thinking about people, then later found out that some kind of issue was happening to them at the time. Someone told me to talk to Jesus about it when it happened. Now, it seems to be happening more and more and getting more vivid.

My counselor told me that she thinks that God may want to use my spiritual abilities in the burden bearing area; however, I am not exactly sure what that is. Does what my counselor think have anything to do with what is happening to me????

What is a burden bearer???

You are being called to do His work that He has for you to do. The Holy Spirit moves us in such a way that we know what it is that He wants us to do. For you, He is bringing to your thoughts those who He wishes you to pray for. Some times we may know exactly what to pray for. Other times we may not know what to pray for at first, but He will show you as you start to pray. There are also times when we never know, so as you keep this person in your mind, allow the Holy Spirit to pray through you.

You are blessed Sister. Many do not know their calling for some time after they have accepted Jesus. Jesus sees favor in you, that yo are able to understand your calling, and with His guidance, you will mature quickly!

In His Love,

Alan

[His_Own]

"Hi, I need to digest this a little more before I respond. It sounds like what is happening. "

I'm not certain that post was meant for you to digest! It condensed decades of experience into one page! The point is that it is not regular or predictable; it does not happen every day, every month, or even every year; that there is not a formula that we can recognize, each time is unique; that it is not something we can do on our own; but that this is His gift, His timing, His discretion. But, I did want to give you some details, for generalities alone can be very hard to put our finite minds around.

I am glad you are my sister. I am looking forward to knowing you better in His kingdom.

Sal

Edited March 22, 2008 by SalA