Growing up in church I was always taught that prayer is important. You pray for forgiveness, for blessings, for mercy and for many other things that may even seem selfish, like that new car you think you need or that fairytale romance. However, it seems that most people truly pray for the things they care about the most. Their families, friends, church members and lost souls. The point is we literally pray for just about anything. But what about our preacher?

We don't always realize just how much our pastor needs our prayer, but think about it. This particular Christian is on their knees praying for you simply because they care. They may not know what you're going through, but they still pray for you because they want you to be a strong Christian. Your pastor is someone who wants you to be blessed, so he/she encourages that behavior by praying for you and your family, as well as for guidance throughout your busy week. While I'm sure if you really thought about it, you would be flattered and would (hopefully) thank them; that isn't always enough.

Satan is always waiting for them to slip up. He likes to give our pastors a particularly hard time and gets pleasure out of robbing their joy. The world is surely against them, but yet they continue to pray for people like you and me. It seems like it would be common sense to at least think about returning the favor, but for some reason, the thought rarely enters our minds. We almost expect the preacher to have this wonderful life that is completely figured out and filled with nothing but happiness. We forget that he/she may have another job throughout the week, along with other regular errands to complete. All too often we fail to realize that pastors are normal people like us, with just as many problems as we have, if not more.

This world could use more advocates for God, but these days it seems that so many are getting discouraged because they have little to no support. They become overwhelmed, they have worries and they mess up and sin just like the rest of us. God didn't call them to be a preacher because they're perfect; He called them to preach because He knew they could serve a higher purpose.

These lovable, selfless children of God are in just as much need of prayer as the rest of us, and it's time we returned the favor. So whether you attend church or not, pray for pastors and spiritual leaders. If you go to church, make sure to tell your pastor that you appreciate them, that you support them and that you love them.