Perhaps this is why the book of James shifts to the community aspect of prayer. “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, know that whoever brings a sinner back from wandering will save the sinner's soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” I know the verse talks about sin, I've heard it, but I think the most important part is that it talks about the responsibility we all have for one another. Praying in the silence of our room or in our aching hearts is one thing, but praying with those who hold our hearts with us is another thing. Community can hold our hearts in joy, like when we celebrate a wedding in our sanctuary or when we worship every Sunday and sing prayers of joy or when a baby is born. But the community also supports us in prayers for illness, pain and loss. Community prayers shape the congregation of believers and enable us to more acutely become the body of Christ. As we pray with one another, we have the opportunity to hear God's voice through someone else's experiences. Praying with another also allows us to be the word and voice of God in the world. It gives flesh to the foggy God we cannot fully understand. If we are open, prayer can actually change relationships and lives. The illness may not be cured, the broken relationship may not be fully healed, the job may not be found, but there is still healing and grace in our moments of life.