How should we respond when someone asks us to pray that her dead mother will watch over her like a guardian angel?
How should we respond when someone asks us to pray that her dead mother will watch over her like a guardian angel? The question has several components to it. Let’s deal with the emotional part first. This lady is likely missing her mother and is grieving. As Christians we are to “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” (Rom 12:15 ESV) We share in the emotion of someone who is sad. Christian counselor Robert Kellemen in his book Soul Physicians describes soul care as sustaining and healing. An important part of caring for your spiritual friend is sensing your spiritual friend’s story of despair. One must truly weep with those who weep. To do so one must empathize and embrace the friend. If someone is suffering, we as Christian brothers and sisters enter into their suffering with them. An important part of community is bearing one another’s burdens. (Gal 6:2) So, listening with a trajectory of making sure the person is heard is an important part of this bu