Friday, September 4, 2015

Desperate Prayers


Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:3

We’ve all been there. Crying out in desperation to the Lord. 
  • A crisis that almost destroyed my family and, even now, the pain hits me, without warning, like the proverbial ton of bricks.
  • My sister, who’s caught in a horrible job that threatens to cripple her.
  • My closest friend Joanna who struggles with the death of her husband; lonely days and even lonelier nights.

Desperate prayers: for deliverance, for miracles, for new jobs, for emotional or physical healing. 

Sometimes, we feel abandoned and wonder why He doesn’t step into our circumstances and answer our prayers.

In those panicked moments, we might hear God whisper, “Don’t pray only for the work of My hands, pray also for the work of My Spirit.”

He doesn’t promise that He will intervene. He promises that He will indwell.

What do we need most when we face a new sunrise?
  • Strength to get out of bed.
  • Peace when things make no sense.
  • Energy to make it through the next hour, or even the next five minutes.
  • Clarity to remember how to do the daily tasks ahead of us.
  • Guidance to make decisions and to respond to the situations we face.

Above all, we need the fullness of God’s Spirit to well up within us and do through us what we are incapable of doing on our own.

We need God Himself.

In those desperate times, He gives us His Word to guard our hearts and minds.

Strength: It is God who arms me with strength. Psalm 18:32
Peace: And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
Energy: But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. The will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Clarity:  For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 (New King James Version)
Guidance:  Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. Psalm 31:3

When you are desperate, pray for God to move in your situation, but don’t forget to ask Him to express His grace in your mind, heart, and soul.

Share with us:
How has God's strengthened your heart and guided your thoughts through difficult times?




13 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for sharing. The Word always encourages me. Knowing that God wants me to be still and KNOW that He is God truly gives me peace.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. God is the only source of peace, isn't He? Thanks for stopping by, Cherrilynn!

      Delete
    2. God is so good. He cheers me daily, usually starting at 3:00am (God, wouldn't 7:00am work as well?). KHCB 105.7 ends my day with "Nightsounds" and encourages during the early morning hours. God is good.

      Delete
    3. I agree with you that 7 am is better but God doesn't always get my full attention then. At 3 am, I'm all ears :)

      Delete
  2. Powerful reminder that He is all we need. Thank you, Sherry!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I need reminding all the time, Vonda! Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  3. Sherry, wonderful post, and oh, how I experienced that situation the first of the year. Only God and my husband could see me thru! Even now, occasionally, bouts of that desperation hit me. Thankfully, God has been helping me to lean on him a bit more. I love your posts!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You will be in my prayers, Carole. I have struggled with depression and God is healing me, as He is you.

      Delete
  4. Excellent post Sherry. All those points you highlighted so well are key in building stronger faith and trust in God. I had to discover those ways of connecting with God during difficult times. Prayer and meditation are key for me. I have to rely on God in all my affairs and throughout each day. He relieves the pain by allowing me to feel His love in my spirit and then a peace unlike any other calms my conscience. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I seek out specific scripture passages that speak to my situation when I am in despair about some trouble in my life. It calms me down and makes me focus on God.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. His Word is the key to our comfort and strength. Thanks for commenting, Mary!

      Delete
  6. Sherry, thank you for sharing these verses! I've found the more I know God's Word, the more I'm able to pray.

    ReplyDelete
  7. God's Word is the key, isn't it, Lyneta? Thanks for commenting!

    ReplyDelete