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A Prayer about the God Who Hears Our Groans

by | Feb 27, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Suffering

A Prayer about the God Who Hears Our Groans

All-knowing God,

We are so grateful that we know 

that you know our very groanings. 

When you hear our groanings, 

whether over grief due to a loved one’s death 

or the suffering of mental illness 

or the sorrow over wars and strivings. 

We who belong to you know 

that you have rescued us already from the worst slavery, 

the slavery to sin and death. 

But you don’t stop there. 

You continue your redemptive work 

in this hurting world, 

all the way till our Savior returns 

to fully establish his kingdom of shalom 

right here on this groaning earth. 

We are so grateful—

you never never forget 

your covenant with your people, 

sealed through your Spirit, 

kept through your faithfulness in your Son. 

And we are so grateful—

as you remember, you rescue. 

In Jesus’ hope-bringing name. Amen.

Read Exodus 2.

A Prayer about Suffering in the Body

by | Feb 25, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Suffering

A Prayer about Suffering in the Body

Compassionate Lord,

Today we lift up, and we pray our prayers will truly lift up, 

those who are weighed down 

with the heavy burden of chronic illness or ongoing suffering 

in their bodies. 

Some have chronic pain that no medication can touch, 

some have seen doctor after doctor in efforts 

to find out why they feel terrible all the time. 

Others live with chronic depression or anxiety, 

still others have struggled with a barren womb 

or multiple miscarriages for years. 

Oh, good Father, may we pause for a moment 

and bring to mind people we know, 

whether friends, family, or acquaintances 

who suffer in their body. 

May we imagine what their days are like. 

Now we ask you, 

be so very near to them in all sorts of ways—

provide physical relief, 

provide hope through a new medical professional 

who really listens to them, 

provide comfort through our compassion.

As they struggle to believe that you truly are near, may we draw near to them, 

not with quick fixes 

but with long-suffering and listening hearts.

Save those who are crushed in spirit. 

Strengthen their faith, 

surround them with community who will believe on their behalf 

as they walk through (or feel they are stuck in) 

the dark valleys. 

By your Spirit, 

draw them near to you 

that they may see 

how you have come near to them 

in your Son’s suffering. 

In Jesus’ kind name we ask. Amen. 

Read Psalm 34:10-22; Psalm 22. 

A Prayer about Our Soul-Thirst

by | Feb 8, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Suffering

A Prayer about Our Soul-Thirst

Thirst-filling Lord,

Today we lift up all who ache for you to appear, 

all who remember the days 

we used to lead the procession of praise (Psalm 42:4), 

all who now suffer turmoil within and attack from without (Psalm 42:5). 

Restore their hope again, 

even as they feel 

“all your breakers and your waves 

have gone over me” (Psalm 42:7).

At night, sing your steadfast love over them, 

“a prayer to the God of my life” (Psalm 42:8). 

At daybreak, remind them 

that you are their rock 

and that you have not forgotten them (Psalm 42:9).

Even as they feel the “deadly wound” 

of adversaries taunting 

or the grief of a relationship 

lost to death or conflict, 

remind them that because of Jesus, 

the one who suffered separation from you 

for the sake of our sins, 

they stand in your loving presence forever. 

Because of Jesus, 

we shall all “Hope in God, 

for we shall again praise you, 

our salvation and our God.”

In Jesus’ hope giving name. Amen.

Read Psalm 42. 

A Prayer about Receiving the Lord’s Discipline

by | Feb 2, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Spiritual Growth, Suffering

A Prayer about Receiving the Lord’s Discipline

Heavenly Father,

Although your discipline, 

your correction, 

your reproof 

may seem painful at the time, 

help us to receive it as the tender and kind strength 

of a good Father who deeply loves his children. 

Remind us of the truth misapplied by Eliphaz—

“For he wounds, but he binds up; 

He shatters, but his hands heal” (Job 5:11-12). 

Remind us that while earthly fathers 

may discipline poorly and for a short time, 

you discipline us “for our good, 

that we may share his holiness.” 

Help us to wait for the day 

your discipline will “yield 

the peaceful fruit of righteousness 

to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:10-11). 

Most of all, remind us that while you discipline us, 

you are not punishing us, 

for you have already punished Jesus, 

our Savior, 

on the cross 

for every sin 

we would ever commit: 

“Consider him who endured from sinners 

such hostility against himself, 

so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” (Hebrews 12:3).

In Jesus’ enduring name. Amen.

Read Proverbs 3:11-12; Hebrews 12:1-11.

A Prayer about Peace for Troubled Hearts

by | Feb 1, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Suffering

A Prayer about Peace for Troubled Hearts

Lord Jesus,

Thank you for this profound promise 

for troubled hearts:

You leave us peace, your peace, 

which in the Bible refers to something way better 

than a day without car, or credit trouble.  

Your peace is “shalom,” 

a state of flourishing, 

wholeness, 

and harmony.

When our hearts are troubled—

aching because of good hopes dashed again and again and again, 

miserable because we have harmed one we love through our sin, 

agonized because we have suffered yet another setback in our recovery, 

you give us your peace, your rest, your hope, your wholeness. 

It is not the peace the world gives, 

it is the peace of the cross, 

for you spoke these words 

just before you died on a cross for us. 

It is the peace of restoration, 

for you died on that cross 

so that we who believe might be restored 

as children of the Father. 

It is the peace of the wholeness 

we will one day know 

in heart and mind and body and soul 

when you come again 

to bring the new heavens and the new earth. 

Because of your peace, 

we have every reason 

to obey your command:

“Let not your hearts be troubled; 

neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27).

In your peace-bringing name. Amen.

Read John 14:1-30. 

A Prayer about Feeling Overwhelmed by Our Sin

by | Jan 26, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Suffering

A Prayer about Feeling Overwhelmed by Our Sin

Rescuing Lord,

We turn to you again, waiting, waiting, waiting 

for you to turn to us and hear our cry. 

We know you will, 

for you have before, 

sending your Son, 

your very own Son, 

to yank us out of the miry bog 

of the messes of our own making, 

the sin we commit and the consequences we suffer. 

Dane Ortlund points out that “self-despair” 

is a good place to begin to know the depth of your love*, 

so please, even as our many sins lead us to despair, 

may we know even more 

how all-encompassing and all-consuming 

is your love. 

Indeed, as David prays, 

“you will not restrain your mercy from me; 

your steadfast love and your faithfulness 

will ever preserve [us]” (Psalm 40:11). 

We believe; help our unbelief (Mark 9:24). 

Even now, may we believe 

the truth we affirm from your word, 

“We are poor and needy, but [you] take thought for [us].

You are [our] help and [our] deliverer;

Do not delay, O [our] God!” 

In Jesus’ redeeming name. Amen.

Read Psalm 40. 

From Dane Ortlund’s Deeper, p. 47: “The Bible teaches, rather, that each experience of despair is to melt us afresh into deeper fellowship with Jesus.”

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