C.S. Lewis’s Letter of April 26, 1956

On April 26, 1956, from Oxford, England, C.S. Lewis wrote to his American correspondent Mary Shelburne a sentence later published in Letters to an American Lady: “One of the many reasons for wishing to be a better Christian is that, if one were, one’s prayers for others might be more effectual.” The remark is characteristically plain, yet bracing. Lewis refuses spiritual pride, but also refuses despair: growth in Christ matters, and it matters for the good of others.

The timing adds weight. In that same season Lewis was carrying fresh personal responsibilities and sorrows, learning again that love is costly and that faith must be practiced, not merely discussed. His counsel assumes that holiness is not a private hobby. It is the shaping of a life into truer love, steadier repentance, and clearer dependence on God—so that intercession becomes less distracted by self and more governed by trust.

Mary Shelburne and a Transatlantic Pastoral Friendship

Mary Shelburne, writing from the United States, sought spiritual counsel amid ordinary burdens and deep griefs. Lewis, widely known as a public defender of the faith, answered her with the quieter work of pastoral care: steady letters, honest sympathy, and reminders of God’s nearness. Their correspondence shows how Christian friendship can cross distance and culture, binding believers through shared prayer, Scripture, and perseverance.

Effectual Prayer, Humble Hearts

Lewis’s line echoes the biblical pattern that God often ties spiritual fruitfulness to spiritual integrity. “The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail” (James 5:16). This is not a technique for getting one’s way, but an invitation to alignment: as repentance clears the conscience and obedience steadies the will, prayer becomes more faithful, more patient, and more loving.

Jesus likewise links abiding to asking: “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). The wish is reshaped by the Word.

The Quiet Heroism of Intercession

There is a kind of courage that kneels. To pray for others when results are slow, when hearts are heavy, and when no one applauds is a hidden heroism. Lewis’s counsel presses believers to keep short accounts with God, to persevere, and to seek a life increasingly aligned to Him—so that prayers for family, church, and neighbor rise with clean hands and steadfast hope.