When You Struggle with How to Pray… | Chelsea Crockett
Whether we’re drawing near to God or find ourselves running from him, prayer can be hard. Even in the darkest parts of our lives, it can seem almost impossible to find the right words to say.
I know for me, I find it hardest to pray when I’m frustrated or mad at God. As selfish as it is, it’s hard to praise him during our own personal times of trials, even when we know deep down this is when we need God the most.
Recently, I dove into Scripture to discover what the Bible says about the times when we feel unable to pray. There is so much truth to be known during these difficult times that can help us know what to do when we face that obstacle.
Philippians 4:6-7 says, “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.”
I love this verse because it gives us direct instructions on what to do when we’re needing direction in our prayer life. Not knowing what to pray isn’t an excuse to God when considering the fact that he wants us to come to him with anything and everything. We could talk to him about something as simple as our agenda for the day and he would love that time spent with him!
Like the verse says, in every situation present your requests to God. If you’re at a place where the last thing you want to do is pray, start here. Depending on your situation, write down the good and bad things of what you’re going through. Maybe you’ve been waiting your whole life to get into the college of your dreams only to receive a rejection letter in the mail. When you approach the situation by pointing out the good that can come from it, your whole perspective will change.
This also gives you things to talk to God about. Pray for guidance, joy, peace, or whatever you need at that point in time. God will never turn you away, no matter how long you’ve been pushing him away. Isn’t that a beautiful truth?
God tells us in the Bible to talk to him about our struggles, even if that struggle is in our prayer life. We shouldn’t feel embarrassed or defeated when we’re going through a hard season with prayer. This just gives us one more thing to pray about! Ask God to help you find the words to say and to be honest and vulnerable. Find the joy in your struggles!
Chelsea is a writer, youtuber, speaker, author of "Your Own Beautiful Book", and Christian on mission to serve and love.