Praying before you act

I made a mistake recently. It wasn't really a big deal in one sense; it was simply a misunderstanding. But in another sense, I hurt someone who's already in pain, someone I don't know well but do respect greatly.

I can't help wondering why I didn't stop to pray about it. Just a moment, that's all it would have taken, to slow down and pray abut my actions. I should have asked God if it was alright, asked him whether I ought to, and then, if I decided to do it, asked him to bless it and make me a source of help and encouragement to others.

But I didn't do that. I heard an idea, I asked a friend if it was really a good idea, and then I easily accepted his response. So I did it. And I've been regretting it every moment since.

The next day, feeling mortified at what I finally realized I shouldn't have done, I decided to write a letter of apology. I was ready to send it off. But I didn't. This time I paused and prayed whether I should or not. On the one hand, I do feel I need to apologize. On the other, I don't know the person well and I don't want to add to their current pain by making a big deal out of something.

The result is: I'm still holding on to the letter, waiting for the right time to send it. I have a feeling it might be a bit of a wait. Yes, I need to apologize. But more than that, I need to be sensitive to their pain and God's timing. He'll know when they'll best need it.

So the question I keep turning over is this: what happens if we pray before we act? Human wisdom and sensitivity can only go so far - only God knows when that other person needs to / wants to talk with you. A good example is evangelism. I think sometimes we get so excited about telling people about Christ, that we forget to pray and ask God how much they're ready to hear. If we started praying before we act, I think we'd find God often restraining our intentions, and just as often motivating us to do what we never intended.