Oops—Forgot the Attachment

Growing Daily

Oops—Forgot the Attachment

At least once a day, I send an email discussing an attachment, but then forget to attach anything! For some reason, I usually realize it just after I hit send. Maybe I’m rushing to cross another item off my to-do list, or maybe I’m just losing it. All I know is I send an embarrassing number of “oops, sorry” follow-ups.

Sometimes my prayers feel like an email without the attachment too. I shoot off hurried words, jumbled thoughts, and requests I’m not sure how to express. It feels like something essential is missing.

But praise God, He sees and understands everything I’m trying to bring to Him, even when my words fall short. The unspoken longings, the fears, the mixture of faith and doubt I couldn’t explain—nothing is missing from His view (1 Samuel 16:7).

And even better, given my obvious weaknesses, He’s not relying on my words alone. “The Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words” (Romans 8:26). And at the same time, Jesus Himself intercedes on my behalf (Hebrews 7:25).

So I don’t need perfect prayers. Even if my mind is scattered in a thousand directions, nothing essential is missing when I hit send.


- Catherine Reid