We’ve all been there.
You’re going through something really, really hard. You want to pray, but your mind is blank. It’s just a pile of anxiety and/or sorrow and/or dread in your brain. What to say?
I’ve been there just this week – so wordless prayers have been my go-to. Just sobs. And honestly, that’s totally ok. God can make sense of those kinds of prayers and completely hear your heart. (Romans 8:26-28)
But when you’re ready for words, here are some suggestions to help form them. The Lord laid this roadmap on my heart this morning and it has been so helpful in lifting up the specific struggles in my own life and the lives of my family and friends.
1. Gratitude
Hear me out. You won’t feel like doing this step, but it’s entirely Biblical to thank God – not only through the trial, but FOR the trial.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
The thanksgiving and the “help!!” are tandem things – like two sides of a train track leading you straight to the Father. You don’t have to have the problem solved before you thank God. We can thank him right alongside our petition.
So we may be thinking – In this deep sorrow, what could I possibly be thankful for? James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” So for starters, we can thank God for the perseverance He is cultivating in us through this sorrow.
A few other ideas:
- We can thank God for the fruit that it will bear.
- We can thank God that this experience has taken us to a place of needing Jesus deeper, of surrender.
- We can thank God that this suffering has put us in the position to receive comfort and love from the body of Christ.
- We can thank God that Jesus, “man of sorrows”, knows our pain (Isaiah 53:3).
- We can thank God for Psalm 56:8: “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”
As we pray prayers of gratitude, we are creating neuro-pathways that create a “traffic jam” for anxiety. And as we pray these things, more ideas of things to be thankful for will emerge. Gratitude multiplies in a beautiful way.
2. Ask God to Redeem it
As I’m going through deep waters, I’m trying to remember that this day is not all there is. God doesn’t waste any pain – He uses it for His glorious purposes. Down the road we may be able to see what God was doing today. So in each tribulation we can ask God to please turn each of these things into something else. Isaiah 61:3 “…provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” If the crown of beauty isn’t here yet, that means it’s coming! So let’s get curious about it, and pray for the redemption that is on the horizon.
3. Ask for help
This is the most natural step – to ask God to intervene. Even those of lapsed or little faith ask God for help in desperation! But maybe next time, pause before asking and rephrase your request in the context of God’s will. Before asking for this pain to simply disappear – consider asking instead for these things:
- Ask for wisdom in taking the next step.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5
- Ask for faith to believe God is in control.
“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” Mark 9:23-25
- Ask what Jesus is saying as HE is interceding for you! (What a comforting thought…if you wonder if anyone is praying for you, read Romans 8:34, 1 John 2:1, and Hebrews 7:25)
- Ask for truth and clarity to see this trial as it really is – for God to clear your mind from the things that muddy the waters.
- And then, yes, ask for healing/intervention/relief – in the context of God’s will. Remember God wants us to ask, so don’t be shy. Approach the throne of grace with confidence (Heb 4:16) when you ask/seek/knock (Matthew 7:7-12). “Lord, please do this thing (insert specifics) – Yet not my will but yours be done.” This example was set by Jesus himself in the moment of his deepest suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane. If it’s good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me!
Then leave the result up to Him. Don’t think if this “thing” doesn’t happen then you didn’t have the right ratios of faith. Your part is to ask, and the rest is not yours to bear. Lay the burden down at the foot of the cross. Walk away light-hearted.
4. Pray about the spiritual battle
There’s a war going on and I have an enemy (Ephesians 6:12). I cannot fight spiritual battles with mortal, earthly weapons. So I ask, in the wars unseen, Lord may your angels defeat the demons – strengthen them and cause the light to overtake the darkness. May Satan’s plans to debilitate me, sideline me, distract me, discourage me, or in any other way harm me – be dismantled in Jesus name – and the same for my family and friends. He can’t have me or them. I pray in the Spirit as one who has already won.
5. Worship– and marinate in the promises of God.
Crank up the playlist and go for it! Don’t wait for the next church service. Turn your minivan into “worship on wheels”. 😉 When we worship, we remind ourself where our hope lies. We remind ourselves that the outcome of this trial is not where our soul rises and falls. We are secure in Jesus – today and for all our tomorrows and even after we take our last breath. When we worship, we remind ourselves of that. And when we read the truths of God’s word, even speaking them out loud – we are saying “yes and amen” to all God wants to do through this trial.
When I throw up my hands in worshipful surrender, I am placing myself under the authority of God. I offer myself as a living sacrifice. I reaffirm that He is God, He is holy, He is worthy. I will sing it and say it and eat/breath/sleep it until I can feel a shift in my outlook or until the storm passes. God is good, all the time. He never leaves me or forsakes me. He gives me mercy and grace for my time of need, and his grace is sufficient. Praise the Lord!
For those who need a mnemonic device, (which always seem a bit contrived but really do help… lol) I’m thinking GRASP works:
G – Gratitude
R – Redeem it!
A – Ask for help
S – Spiritual warfare
P – Praise
Lord in this trial, we GRASP on to you, knowing that you hold us in the palm of your hands and this sorrow is not bigger than you. Give us the words to pray and remind us to fall into your arms as we navigate these things. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
By: Tricia McCorkle
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