Have you ever been at the end of your prayer rope? Need help when you’re fresh out of faith and out of words? That’s how I felt in the parking lot at Target when I turned my car key. All I heard was a clicking sound. “Again?” I thought.
Awesome.
My family and I were spending nine months in Dallas, Texas. While our own car was parked at home in the Middle East, a dear and generous older couple had lent us their car to use in Dallas. They were happy to bless us with an extra car they weren’t using, and we were overjoyed at what looked like God’s provision.
What none of us knew was that the car would turn out to be a total lemon. For several months, we lived the stress of driving a vehicle that might leave you stranded any minute. Repair costs mounted, and we became very good friends with Oswalt the mechanic.
That afternoon in the parking lot, I stepped out of the car and started praying like crazy. When I got back in, it started as if by a miracle, and I drove straight home. But I didn’t feel any better. What would we do? How could we afford to buy a vehicle for five more months in Dallas when we’d already spent so much on repairs?
All I could do was go back to the promises of God.
Sometimes we don’t know what God is up to. And we don’t know how to pray when our faith is flatter than a pancake. Have you been there too? That’s when we can turn to God’s promises and pray them back to the God who gave them to us.
God’s promises give us words to pray.
When we don’t know what to say, and we can barely believe God will come through, let’s look to God’s promises in scripture. Although we can never know exactly how God will answer our prayer, we know we’re praying in line with His heart when we pray His words.
God’s promises give us fresh words to pray when we’re fresh out of faith.
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Maybe you need some fresh words to pray today? Let’s look at a few promises from Scripture:
God’s Presence with Us:
His Peace:
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” Isaiah 26:3
His Provision:
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33
Renewed Strength:
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31
Guidance:
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5,6
Unfailing Love:
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39
God’s Promises help our faith.
When I turn to the words God has already spoken in scripture, faith rises. I start to hope in Him. Of course God will provide. He already said He would. Of course God will strengthen me and give me peace. His Word says He will. When I remind God of His promises, it builds my faith.
That day in the parking lot, I had no idea that just two weeks later, we’d get a call from an 82 year old mechanic on a $5,000 car he had. God caused everything to line up. We’d planned to visit friends that day, and looking at the car entailed us driving less than a mile off of our already planned route. We bought that car, used it with no problems, and sold it five months later for the same price. God’s perfect provision.
Friend, what circumstances are you facing today? What promise can you cling to? Remind God (and yourself) of that promise in prayer. When we pray about our problems in the light of God’s promises, faith and hope grow in our hearts.
When we pray about our problems in the light of God’s promises, faith and hope grow in our hearts.
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Now it’s your turn: What’s your favorite promise in Scripture? Or which one of these encourages you today?
Note: Prayer is one of my favorite topics. Here’s a recent post in case you missed it:
The Most Important Thing to Remember About Prayer
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