Afraid to Pray

Have you ever had an issue with prayer?

You know it's the right thing to do. You know it makes you feel better. You even enjoy talking to Jesus because you know He is there. But... You really struggle with praying to much or to deep.

Maybe you prayed for a friend to be healed and they died. Maybe you prayed for financial help and you only sink deeper. You pray for healing and the pain continues or even gets worse. You pray for restoration and only see deeper deterioration. What about that relationship you prayed for and nothing seems to change.

Sometimes your "big" prayers just never seem to have the outcome you prayed for, but, neither do the little ones.

You pray to find homes for critters. You pray the kids will like dinner. You pray you can sleep without thinking all night. What about the prayer to have the right words to say.

No matter what, it seems, big or little, it's just not your "turn" to have a prayer be answered the way you prayed.

Instead, your friend dies, relationships get more strained, you still have all those critters, pain continues to increase, you can't sleep and the deterioration continues. Does this sound like your life?

Take heart, dear friend!

God is not dead! Nor does he sleep!

I know, you are going to stop reading now because you expect me to say "It will all be OK. God is in control."

Well, that is true. God is in control. However, in situations like these that Is the last thing I want to hear. I know all the verses, too. So, don't go quoting Scripture at me. Now you may say, "Wait, then what are you saying?"I'm saying, I honestly don't have the answers. I don't know why almost ever "serious" prayer you pray has the opposite outcome.

I do know, God is still Good!

The sun still rises for a brand new day. The moon and stars still decorate the night sky. The grass is still green in the spring and flowers still bloom.

Family is still important. New friends come along. You still get up and move around, or can be moved around, even through the pain. We still have freedom to do as we please.

Does any of this erase the pain and hurt from the prayers that were answered "Wait" or "No". Of course these things can't take the pain away.

Only Jesus can lessen the pain and that is only if we allow him to.

I cannot fix my child's broken toy unless they put it in my hand and let go.

Jesus can't mend our hurts unless we place ourselves and our hurts in his hands and let go.

When I'm "afraid" to pray, Lord, please remind me of your blessings I take for granite. Remind me, that in your sovereignty you see the tapestry of my life from the top. All I can see is the knots from below but you see the beautiful picture you are weaving. Help me to remember, you can and do make all things beautiful in your time. You can even use my mistakes, if I confess and turn from them, to paint a lovely mountain on my tapestry. Help me also remember, it's not all about me. If one soul can be saved through the witness of my struggles, remind me "it is worth it all". Help me not to give up on prayer. Help me to push through and dig deeper, All For God's Glory!

God is still good!

James 1:1-8

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Mark 9:23-24

23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

(Originally Posted October 5, 2025 on a previous blog I started.)