7 Prayers That Work

Oh, Lord, I pray and ask for your presence . Draw near to me, to be with me in my troubles, to comfort me in my sadness. Is that a silly prayer? It's helpful to me, but I guess it's not accurate. You never leave me. You're always present. I'm the one who wanders, who gets lost , who struggles to find my way back to you. I feel the unrest, anxiety , and turmoil of being a soul out of sync with your Spirit. When I feel tossed about, it's not because you're not here. It's because I've taken my eyes off you; I'm looking at the storms all around me; I'm asking for peace while I welcome chaos. Lord, I fix my eyes on you. There is peace in your presence because you are faithful . Everything else is a wicked and pointless pursuit of self. Forgive me and change me, O God. I'm yours. Heal me,  use me, guide me, restore me, change me. In Jesus' name, Amen. "I have sen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to h...

  Lord Jesus, Today is the International Day of Peace.  What does that even mean? The world is not peaceful. It doesn't feel like it will ever be peaceful . How can I find peace in my everyday life, for the normal anxieties and the terrifying uncertainties ? I know you are Peace. But honestly, sometimes peace feels impossible. Forgive me for not daily giving my fears back to you and praising you for the future I can't see. You will never leave me. You will always protect me. You and only you can provide me the peace I crave. I will seek your face and read your words. There I will find "the peace that passes understanding." ( Philippians 4:7 ) There I'll find you. That's where the peace is. In Jesus' name, Amen. "And let the  peace  of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

Oh, Lord, I don't now what's going to happen next, but there are some scary options sitting in front of me, taunting my thoughts and terrifying my heart. I feel like I'm wilting on the inside: My spirit grows faint within me and my heart feels dismayed ( Psalm 143:4 ). I know that you are good and that you only do good to your people. I remember your faithfulness-- you do not bring judgment down on us like you should;  no one stands before you righteous ( Psalm 143:2 ). I trust you because you have always protected me. I remember all the times you have rescued me and comforted me. I reach out for you like a thirsty soul in the desert ( Psalm 143:5-6 ). Lord, come to me and satisfy my longing. Quench my fear. Renew my spirit. Do not hide your face from me. Every morning, remind me of your unfailing love ( Psalm 143:7-8 ). Show me the way I should go. I only trust you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Holy Spirit, level the ground before me and lead me into ...

Did you know that many of the key characters in the Christmas story left prayers for us to read ? They were overwhelmed, amazed, frightened, and thankful. They were like us, really. They witnessed Emmanuel "God with us," just like we do. They had to stop in their stress and anxiety and notice God's wonder. And let that experience change them. Below are 7 prayers from that first Christmas.  Plus one from me.  They all address the issues we feel on a regular basis. The first 7 prayers are by the Christmas story characters themselves. Read their stories. Pray the prayers. Then watch and wait--God will fill you with wonder. I just know it! He really does wonder well. Prayer #1: Mary--"How is this possible?"--a request for understanding ( Lk. 1:21-28 ) Prayer #2: Mary--"Glory to God!"--a song of praise ( Lk. 1:21-55 ) Prayer #3: Joseph--"What should I do?"--a prayer of grief and confusion ( Mtt. 1:18-20 ) Prayer #4: Wisemen--"Where is he?...

Have you ever woken up feeling anxious and unsettled? Do a few dozen responsibilities and concerns fight against one another in your brain? Feeling nausea or fear in the pit of your stomach? Are you ever overwhelmed by the sense of defeat and failure when you haven't failed at something? Hello, Anxiety. You're a tough one to beat. When I'm struggling with anxiety, I like to read Psalm 13 and Psalm 31. Several other Psalms speak to fear, oppression, and grief--which can feel similar to anxiety--but these two seem to zero in on the cloak-and-dagger enemy that is anxiety: our own minds and emotions. Here's a prayer from Psalm 31 : Oh, Lord, You are the Comforter and the Healer. I need your power in my life. I feel a lot of anxiety and pressure right now. I honestly can't tell how much is true pressure, real deadlines, or just my own unrealistic expectations. I am pressuring myself, attempting to either control, direct, or manage everything I ca...

I read this passage this morning. It's startling and challenging, and it compelled me to pray. Isaiah 26:3-4 --"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast , because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal." Lord God of Heaven, I want peace from stress and anxiety. I want direction for my energy, creativity in my calling, success in my life. You call me to steadfastness : to lean fast, support myself, stand firm, uphold my conception, imagination, purpose, mindfulness. I cannot trust your will without becoming steadfast in what you've already imparted to me. That's how I learn to trust you. Not by getting you to rubber-stamp what I'm doing or what I want to do. Trust comes from watching you be God in my life, not by being god of my own life. Trust is confidence, boldness, security. It's a decision I make, not a promise You make. I want peace in my soul,...

This morning I read a friend Lori Hatcher 's blog called "Is it wrong pray for little needs?" I was just praying intermittently for my children to love God, for the poor in Africa, for our Compassion Sunday this week, and for my social media/publicity needs, and I was feeling guilty about how and why I pray. I know that God doesn't judge me for making prayer requests. He wants to hear them, and He wants to answer them. The crux of the issue is my heart. Do I want what He wants? Do I desire His kingdom? Or am I focused on building mine, making my little family kingdom more comfortable and less stressful? Do I pray because I want to spare myself pain and hardship or because I want God to use my hardships to advance His kingdom? God, I lay my anxieties and concerns at your feet. I trust you completely with them. Help me to not take these worries back from you today. Amen. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.-- 1 Peter 5:7

Dear Lord, Today has been really stressful. I'm reminded on Peter's advice to the church in 1 Peter 5:7: "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." I'm looking up the meanings in this verse, and with your help, I want to really "cast my anxiety on you." I'm not being critical, but this sounds way easier than it it. Here's what I found out (which you already know): The idea of "cast," which is epiriptō  in Greek, means  "to throw out, throw on, throw down." In other words, chuck it! Heave it far from you. Lord, I think you're serious about this casting  thing. Then Peter uses 2 different words for "care" in this little verse:  merimna,   melei. The first (a noun) means "anxiety; distraction, cares, anxiety pertaining to earthly things"; the second (a verb) means "to care about, have regard for." So here's my prayer--my deep soul-hungering prayer that is despera...

Dear Father, My heart is heavy with worry and anguish over the hate and fear building in this country. Even among Christians, the pressure to retaliate and fight confuses my desire to be a light in this dark world. Why am I afraid? Because I look around me and see sinful men and sinful reactions. I see fear everywhere, and I know that when I am afraid, my trust in You vanishes like the morning mist. I pray now against fear and anxiety. God, make me brave. Make me strong and courageous. Then give me a passion to love others. Give me confidence in YOU and in the weapons you command me to use--praying in the power of the Holy Spirit and speaking the Word of God, which is sharper than any sword. Pierce me first, then pierce the darkness of this culture with the Light of the World. In You I trust. You are my deliverer, my safe haven, my stronghold. I will wait on You. I will not be afraid what men can do to me. In Jesus' holy and powerful name, Amen.

You want God to hear your prayers? Praise him first. God suggests the context of praise if we want to enter his presence; He knows that if we focus on his goodness instead of our own resourcefulness, we will have faith to endure and conquer the hardships of life. Praise builds faith. Self-focus undermines faith and places us on a path of never-ending anxiety. So praise the Lord for who he is. It will determine who you become! Psalm 100 Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are people and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the Lord is good and his lov e endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.