When You're Too Tired To Pray

When a big stressor comes along or when you're wiped out for any other reason it can be difficult to even have the strength to pray when that's what you need to do most. God knows our weakness as mentioned in Psalm 73:26: "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (NRSV)

Here are some steps I believe God led me through during one of these times.

• Just "be" in God's presence. No words are necessary. You may not feel God's presence--just acknowledge that He's everywhere and knows you and your situation. Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God."


• Pray a written out prayer that you know is God's will. I have these:
  http://www.eternallifeministries.org/prayers.htm
  and other prayers formatted and printed in a binder for these occasions or when I just want a change. Also see the Prayer category here.
  


• Talk to God about how you feel as opposed to your regular devotional/prayer routine. Sometimes you can just talk to yourself without even praying directly to God. Psalm 62:8 says in part to "pour out your heart before Him". (NRSV)


• Spend a short amount of time reading (as opposed to studying) the Bible like one Psalm.

My thinking is not necessarily to do all of these things at once, but as you have the energy.

2 Corinthians 1:5

For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ. (NRSV)

"But what kept me going more than anything else was my confidence in the character of God."
--Ravi Zacharias quoting Charles Cooper

We absolutely must read and study the Bible in order to know God's character and take refuge in Him.

Psalm 103:13-14

As a father has compassion for his children,
so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.
For he knows how we were made;
he remembers that we are dust.

Psalm 10:1,17

Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear

Lamentations 3:25

The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him; (NIV)

Psalm 34:18

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted,
and saves the crushed in spirit. (NRSV)

Praying the Psalms

I started praying the Psalms as mentioned previously.

Not all Psalms are prayers. However I learned that there are still things to pray about in each Psalm.

Do I participate in what "sinners" participate in? Do I mock others? Gently convict me and help me to repent.

Help me to delight in Your Word and to meditate on it more often.

Thank you that I am blessed and that You watch over me.

Psalm 1 (TNIV)
1 Blessed are those
who do not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,

2 but who delight in the law of the LORD
and meditate on his law day and night.

3 They are like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.

4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will be destroyed.

Isaiah 42:3

a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. (ESV)

What Did I Do To Deserve...?

What did I do to deserve this awful condition I'm in?

How come I explain myself over and over and nobody understands?

What happened to me that my dreams torment me every night?

What did I do to receive God's mercy?

What did I do so that He chose me?

What did I do so that my spiritual zeal increases as my condition worsens?

The answer is nothing.

Which would I rather have--normal mental and physical health with much less spiritual growth or the spiritual growth I've been experiencing without the chronic suffering? I can't answer that yet but as time goes on I'm more and more thankful for the spiritual growth and the opportunity to know Him so much better because of what He's doing.

I hate my life. I love God. He will be glorified. Someday, sometime it will have been worth it.

Am I Praying In God's Will -- Or Against It?

When to Be Bold and Persistent with Requests
http://nehemiah.gospelcom.net/praywill4.htm

Psalm 55:22

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous be shaken. (TNIV)

Secrets of Contentment

Secrets of Contentment By John MacArthur

This is a continuing series.

John 16:33

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Blog Labels

I have simplified the labels of the blog. In the right hand column under LABELS you can click on each label to see all the posts under that category.

• Article - articles written by other people


• Personal - personal writings of my own
  


• Prayer - prayers mostly by others


• Quote - quotes from books, devotionals and found on the Web


• Scripture - Bible verses/passages

Praying the Psalms

There are seemingly happy people all around us. Many aren't letting on what's going on inside. We can feel like most of the people around us are living charmed lives, especially in the church. The praise choruses sung at many churches and gatherings are always upbeat in tone and almost never express doubt, pain or suffering.

Starting next month, I'm going to read one Psalm a day as a prayer. There is a much better balance of life and expression in these poems/songs. I'll try to report back.

Psalm 119:28

My soul is weary with sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word.

Psalm 147:11

the Lord delights in those
who fear him,
who put their hope
in his unfailing love. (NIV)

Trials and God's Discipline

Hebrews 12:7-10
Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline?
8 If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children.
9 Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness.

We know that God uses all thing for good (Romans 8:28) but are all of our trials God's direct discipline?

Romans 8:18

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

This is not the worst thing to ever happen! Cancer is so limited. it cannot cripple love, shatter hope, corrode faith, eat away peace, destroy confidence, kill friendship, shut out memories, silence courage, quench the Spirit or lessen the power of Jesus.

Pete Grieg, God On Mute, quoting a lady named Margaret

Psalm 73:26

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever. (NRSV)

When we pin our hopes on the fulfillment of our desires, we fall into the trap of wishful waiting... We can't know if our desires will be fulfilled or not.

Even if we could, we set ourselves up for disappointment when our focus is on the prize instead of on God....

When our hope is in God alone, He becomes our prize.

Jennifer Rothschild, Lessons I Learned in the Dark: Steps to Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

The book of Job is therefore both the most frustrating and enlightening treatment of unanswered prayer in the Bible, because God's solution to so much misery is merely and ultimately to reveal His greatness.
Pete Grieg, God On Mute

"Surprisingly, the Bible reveals that Jesus--even Jesus--suffered the silence of unanswered prayer."
Pete Grieg, God On Mute

Blessed Are Those Who Hunger

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/september/19.86.html

These Inward Trials

I asked the Lord that I might grow,
In faith and love and every grace,
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly His face.

It was He who taught me thus to pray,
And He I trust has answered prayer.
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.

I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He'd answer my request.
And by His love's constraining power,
Subdue my sins and give me rest.

Instead of this, He made me feel,
The hidden evils of my heart.
And let the angry powers of hell,
Assault my soul in every part.

Yes, more with His own hand, He seemed,
Intent to aggravate my woe.
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

"Lord, why is this?" I trembling cried.
Will You pursue Your worm to death?"
"This is the way" the Lord replied,
"I answer prayer for grace and strength."

"These inward trials I employ,
From self, and pride, to set you free;
And break your schemes of earthly joy,
That you may find thy all in Me."
--John Newton

"Blessed are the Poor in Spirit"

by Thomas Watson

"He that is poor in spirit is lowly in heart. Rich men are commonly proud and scornful, but the poor are submissive. The poor in spirit roll themselves in the dust in the sense of their unworthiness. 'I abhor myself in dust' (Job 42:6). He that is poor in spirit looks at another's excellencies and his own infirmities. He denies not only his sins but his duties.

The more grace he has, the more humble he is, because he now sees himself a greater debtor to God. If he can do any duty, he acknowledges it is Christ's strength more than his own. As the ship gets to the haven more by the benefit of the wind than the sail, so when a Christian makes swift progress, it is more by wind of God's Spirit than the sail of his own endeavour. The poor in spirit, when he acts most like a saint, confesses himself to be 'the chief of sinners'. He blushes more at the defect of his graces than others do at the excess of their sins. He dares not say he has prayed or wept. He lives, yet not he, but Christ lives in him. He labours, yet not he, but the grace of God."

A Prayer for the Heart

Give us, O Lord, a steadfast heart, which no unworthy affection may drag downwards; give us an unconquered heart, which no tribulation can wear out; give us an upright heart, which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside. Bestow upon us also, O Lord, our God, understanding to know You, diligence to seek You, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace You; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
--Thomas Aquinas

"Take, Lord" Prayer by Ignatius of Loyola

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my intellect, and all my will--all that I have and possess. You gave them to me: to You, Lord, I return them. All is Yours, dispose of all according to Your will. Give me only Your love and grace, for these are enough for me.
--Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)