Have you ever had a prayer

where you asked God to take the pain/burden/struggle of someone else and have it placed on you instead? I'm not sure if God would ever act on such a prayer, but I find myself trying nonetheless. I ask fervently and rather often, even if it isn't spoken aloud. I want so badly to just take away the hurt in others' lives. I want them to be happy, and I pray for that as well. I don't know, I just feel like there are things I can do to help. But I'm stuck wondering if they even want my assistance or if it would be beneficial. However, that "help" of which I just spoke is purely a secular plan-of-action. Part of me knows that isn't that most efficient way of going about it, though. I think the reason I have to contemplate that so often is because I feel like it's my job to change things--make them better if possible--because I want to. But this isn't about me... It's about what I can do for my friends, even if they don't want to tell me what's on their mind. I'm not exactly sure where I was going with this post, and it probably doesn't make much sense. I just wish more could be done on my part...

I feel like I used to be better at this.