Praying with Power When Life Gets Tough

Jackie M. Johnson

• Publisher: Revell
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781493406388
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

What do you pray when times get tough? When you're stressed or depressed, when life is overwhelming or disappointing, when you feel like giving up? It's in these challenging times you need to pray with wild hope, says Jackie M. Johnson. With encouraging stories, Scriptures, and prayers, Johnson shows readers how to pray for focus, wisdom, confidence, courage, grace, strength, meaning, and much more. Conveniently structured so that readers can go directly to the chapter that addresses their particular situation, this book will be a lifeline to peace for those who need God's touch. Now available in mass market.

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When You Feel like Giving Up

Prayers for Perseverance

The LORD is my strength and my shield;

my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.

Psalm 28:7

It was just one of those days. The weight of repeated disappointment was so heavy I could barely function. I slumped onto the couch to rest and to ponder it all. Emotional exhaustion can do that to you. So can physical pain.

For months my foot had been so sore I could barely walk. In my opinion, it was taking entirely too long to heal—especially since I was still recovering from another major surgery earlier in the year. Getting around was a challenge, but an extreme lack of funds was getting me down too. It had been months since our company had announced layoffs, and benefits from unemployment were not enough to pay the bills. A note on my front door from the landlord said my rent, already three days late, had to be paid by Friday or I’d get evicted. There was barely any food in the house because it was too hard to get to the store with foot pain, and somehow it seemed most of my friends were busy or out of town.

Frustration reached its peak when two of my car windows refused to stay up. I’d made my best attempt at taping them, but the strong winds had blown my duct-tape solution away. Cold and rain blew into my car, and I was not happy. It was just one more thing that wasn’t working right in my life.

Whose life is this, and what happened to mine?

Do you ever have days like that? Decades like that? If so, I have some good news for you. There is hope.

Maybe you have a different story. Lacrecia is a single mom with four young children. She works full-time and tends to their needs every day. She feels like she’s never “off” work. Although she loves her family, some days the endless piles of laundry and messes weigh her down. Drew, a gifted musician, has been trying to get his career off the ground for years but never seems to get a break. And Kara, single for decades, wonders when it will be her turn to have a loving husband.

I hear you saying, “It’s too hard. I’m tired. I can’t do this anymore.” You’re tempted to give up. Some days you just want to go back to bed, curl up with a toasty warm blanket, and forget about life for a while. Sure, sometimes we need to rest. In fact, there’s an entire chapter devoted to rest in this book. But then what? You still need a renewed sense of purpose, passion, and power to get going and keep going. How do you press on when you just don’t have it in you?

Pressing On in God’s Strength

Perseverance, according to my Random House dictionary, means to persist, to maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; to continue steadfastly.

If I’m supposed to march on and try to do it all on my own, I simply cannot. Thankfully, I’m not on my own. Neither are you. If you choose to allow God into your pain, he will help you through what Eugene Peterson calls “a long obedience in the same direction.” Help is here, and God is with you.

So do not fear, for I am with you;

do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isa. 41:10)

Building a Foundation of Truth

To stand strong in challenging times, we need a solid foundation. When we ask, God will build support into our lives so that when the winds of change and challenge blow we won’t topple like the fragile houses of the three little pigs. We will stand strong.

Consider what happens when builders construct a skyscraper. In order for the building to be tall and not tumble, the workers first dig a foundation and then pound steel reinforcing rods called pylons deep into the earth. Concrete is then poured into the shaft with the pylons for a super-strong hold.

The same can be true in your life. As you grow deeper, you grow stronger in your faith. As you immerse yourself in the ways and wisdom of God, the truth (like pylons of hope, trust, courage, and faith) helps you become stronger. So when your life is spiraling downward or you’re overcome with loneliness, you will be able to withstand more readily the gale-force winds of hard times and pain.

Steel upon steel, story upon story, a structure is built. Likewise, God’s Word tells us that hope comes step by step, as “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Rom. 5:3–4).

There is hope ahead. And we’re on the way to finding it.

God Loves You

Some people find it difficult to believe that God will actually help them, and the weight of the world on their shoulders is crushing. They think he doesn’t care or he’s too busy being CEO of the entire universe to be concerned about their unhappy life. Nothing could be further from the truth. God loves you—more than you know. Despite your feelings of insecurity, inadequacy, or any other emotion you’re ashamed of, God is all about loving you.

Give yourself permission to believe that what you hope for is actually true. You are not alone; God is with you always. Making life happen, hard and messy as it is, is not all up to you; help is available. And it’s a prayer away.

When You Feel like Giving Up

How do you press on when you’re emotionally or physically drained? When times are tough, here are some vital things to help you persevere with God’s strength.

Cast your cares. Don’t take on burdens you were never meant to bear—such as worry, fear, and doubt. They’ll weigh you down and hinder you from being effective. Instead, give God your fears; surrender trying to do it all on your own to him. Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”

Press on in prayer. Prayer is the foundation upon which everything else in your life is built. It is the most important thing you can do. You may think, I’ve already prayed. What other solutions are there? Keep on praying. Talk to God about your situation, because he has the power to change it. Ask God for discernment. Speak freely and openly about how you feel and what you need. Thank him for what he’s already done in your life and expect him to answer. As you pray, believe God is working and stand in the strength you receive.

Send in reinforcements. Sometimes you need backup. It’s amazing what happens when you receive support in prayer from friends and family members who are willing to pray for you and with you. When you don’t know what to pray, when you’re spent emotionally or physically, or, like Moses, when you need someone to “hold up your arms” (to support you), the prayers of others on your behalf can give you a boost to keep going.

Take action. Taking one small step can lead to another and another, and as you build momentum, things begin to change. You will not be in this hard place forever. God will help you through. Unlike others who may have let you down, God keeps his promises. When you take action in prayer, he moves on your behalf.

My friends Cindy and Gary, both in their forties, prayed for years for a child to adopt, and they were on the waiting list just as long. They prayed and waited . . . and waited . . . and waited. Four years passed. Then one day the phone rang with the good news: a little boy in Ethiopia was available. Finally! The excited couple recently flew across the Atlantic and picked up their new son.

Holy Tenacity

Is it truly possible to find fortitude despite delays? Yes. Perseverance takes courage. Believe that God is who he says he is: loving, mighty, powerful, and willing to meet your needs when you come to him. When the road is long and life seems impossible, remember that God hears your prayers; he sees your tears. God is with you always, and he is at work in your life.

There are still purposes to be fulfilled—lives to touch, things to accomplish, and character to be formed on the inside. Press on, pray on, with holy tenacity, holding on to hope that one day—maybe soon—the check will come, the job will be yours, or the house will be filled with a child’s laughter.

Whatever it is you long for, tell God your heart’s desires, and he will answer. Whether the answer is yes, no, or wait, know that the one who loves you most is working all things together for his good purposes (see Rom. 8:28). We may not always understand or like the answer, but we can know with certainty that one day everything will be made right.

Today, we pray and trust him.

A Lesson from Mountain Climbing

A mountain is climbed one step at a time. You begin by putting one foot in front of another, over and over again, until you reach the summit. Mountaineers know the importance of staying hydrated and never climbing alone. As believers, we can stay hydrated with refreshment from God’s Word, which is as essential to life as water. We can build a team around us for support and encouragement. And we can learn to trust our guide, Jesus Christ. As you press on, the power of prayer helps you to persevere and find joy. Even when you feel like giving up, believe that the ascent is worth the climb, for once you reach the peak, the view is exhilarating.

FORTIFY ME, LORD

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

Hebrews 10:36

Lord, so many times I am tempted to give up. Life is just too hard, and I cannot do it on my own. Please give me the inner strength to keep on going. I long to do your will. Fortify me, Lord. Thank you for keeping your promises—all of them, all the time. I trust you for your help, hope, and healing as we walk through this life together. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

GOD’S WORD GIVES ME HOPE

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

Romans 15:4

Lord, thank you that your words are life-giving power. They light up the darkness in my world and in my heart. Thank you for the Bible, a book that is like no other—alive and relevant for my life today. Help me to read more often what you have to say, to cherish it, and to hold fast to your words. Your words give me hope! In Jesus’s name. Amen.

HOPE IN HARD TIMES

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Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Endorsements
• Dedication
• Epigraph
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• 1. When You Feel like Giving Up
• 2. When You’re Busy and Stressed
• 3. When Life Is a Mess
• 4. When You’re Disappointed
• 5. When You’re Depressed
• 6. When You Feel Insecure
• 7. When You Feel Fearful
• 8. When You’re Dealing with Difficult People
• 9. When You Feel Lonely
• 10. When You’re Bored
• 11. When You’ve Made Mistakes
• 12. When You’ve Been Mistreated
• 13. When You Can’t Break a Bad Habit or Addiction
• 14. When You’re Dealing with Grief and Loss
• 15. When It’s Hard to Wait
• 16. When You Feel Distant from God
• 17. When You Have Health Concerns
• 18. When You Have Job/Career Issues
• 19. When You Have Relationship Issues
• 20. When You Have Money Issues
• 21. When Things Go Right
• Notes
• About the Author
• Back Ads
• Back Cover