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A Prayer about Praying in Stories of Suffering

by | Sep 7, 2023 | Bible study, Daily Prayer, Spiritual Growth, Suffering

A Prayer about Praying in Stories of Suffering

She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.

Luke 2:36 

Answering God, 

How we thank you for the story of Anna, 

the 84-year-old widow who had known deep suffering. 

In her world, losing a husband meant losing everything — 

financial provision, status, power. 

And yet, Anna, who lost her husband after only seven years of marriage, 

by your grace, 

chose not to become embittered by suffering, 

staying close to you in the temple, 

listening to your Word, 

worshiping you, 

fasting and praying, 

“night and day.” 

May we follow Anna’s lead when life seems out of control—

When our adult children make decisions we disagree with,

When our grandchildren make mayhem of their young lives,

When our bodies make a mess of our plans to age gracefully….

Let us pray.

As we pray, our faith grows: 

we remember the countless stories of your redemption.

As we pray, our hope grows: 

we envision the redemption that will come in the midst of hard stories.

As we pray, our love grows: 

we live out Christ’s love in a way that invites the hurting to come to you.

In prayer, we learn to wait well for your redemption.

In prayer, we hear your astounding answer, 

redemption in Christ,

And we begin to pray again, 

thanking you for your kindness 

sharing the good news of Christ with others. 

In Jesus’ redeeming name. Amen.

Read Luke 2:36-38.



A Prayer about Endurance in Suffering

by | Aug 24, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Suffering

A Prayer about Endurance in Suffering

I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Revelation 1:9

Precious Jesus,

In your Word, and by your Spirit, 

you have given us everything we need 

to persevere in every seemingly new tribulation. 

Even today as we consider Christians 

suffering for their faith throughout the world, 

we are reminded that the apostle John, 

at eighty-four-years-old, 

was sent by the Romans to rot and die 

on the island of Patmos 

because of his “testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 1:9). 

He speaks to your disciples who suffer today

 as a “partner in the tribulation 

and the kingdom 

and the patient endurance that are in Jesus.” 

As Bible scholar Graeme Goldsworthy puts it, 

“John does not urge his fellow-Christians 

to seek a means of escape from this tribulation, 

for he understood only too well 

that discipleship means suffering.”* 

Jesus, in light of the suffering of the martyrs 

throughout the ages, 

we pray that you would make us bold 

to partner with those in deep suffering, 

to persevere with the patient endurance 

that is our legacy as your sisters and brothers.

In your enduring name we pray. Amen. 

Read Revelation 1.

*See Graeme Goldsworthy, The Gospel in Revelation, 181. 



A Prayer about Feeling Desperate in Illness

by | Jul 9, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth, Suffering

A Prayer about Feeling Desperate in Illness

For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 2 Corinthians 1:8

Great Physician,

How grateful we are to know 

that you are “near to the brokenhearted” 

and “save the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). 

How grateful we are to know 

that you are also near to the broken-bodied 

and save those who are crushed in hope for health.

Today, we bring our sick and suffering friends before you, 

asking for your help and your hope. 

We think of Jairus, 

who fell down at your feet 

and pleaded for his little daughter, 

saying she was “at the point of death.” 

How desperate he must have felt 

when you stopped to heal the hemorrhaging woman, 

who also was surely desperate, 

because she reached out and touched your robe 

even though she knew her illness made her unclean (Mark 5:21-43). 

How desperate Jairus must have felt 

when his friends ran to him 

and told him his daughter had died.

We think of the Roman centurion 

who must have been terribly desperate 

to ask you, a Jew, for healing for his servant, 

who he said was “dreadfully tormented” (Matthew 8:6; 8:5-13). 

And we think of the apostle Paul, 

who asked (at least) three times 

that you would heal his thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:8) 

and was told “no.” 

Paul, who suffered much in his body, 

for the sake of the gospel, 

who, though he “despaired of life itself,” (2 Corinthians 1:8)

gave us the words we pray now,

 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 

who comforts us in all our affliction, 

so that we may be able to comfort those 

who are in any affliction, 

with the comfort 

with which we ourselves are comforted 

by God. For as we share abundantly 

in Christ’s sufferings, 

so through Christ 

we share abundantly in comfort too…. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

In the hope of ultimate healing in your name we pray. Amen.

Read Mark 5:21-43; 2 Corinthians 1; 2 Corinthians 11:26-27. 



A Prayer about Rejoicing in Suffering

by | Jun 16, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth, Suffering

A Prayer about Rejoicing in Suffering

Have you ever wondered how you can rejoice in suffering?

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope…Romans 5:3-4.

Lord Jesus,

Yesterday we prayed about rejoicing 

“in the hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2).

Today we need to face the fact that, 

for those who follow you, 

suffering is not only normal, 

but also a cause for rejoicing. 

That doesn’t really fit our American narrative, 

so help us by your Spirit to understand:

Suffering produces endurance: 

As we fix our eyes on you, 

the “founder and perfecter” of our faith 

who endured the cross for us (Hebrews 12:2), 

we are empowered by your Spirit to keep walking forward, 

one new mercy at a time.

Endurance produces character: 

Through suffering, you are making us “mature and complete” (James 1:4), 

people who are wise and compassionate, 

tender and strong comforters, 

people who don’t toss out spiritual Band-aids, 

people who listen carefully 

and give wise counsel at the right time.

Character produces hope: 

As you grow our endurance and character through suffering, 

we long even more for the future day 

when you will return and make all things new. 

This is the essence of hope, 

and it is a hope that will never disappoint (Romans 5:5).

In your suffering name. Amen.

Read Romans 5:1-5.



A Prayer about Joy in Trials

by | May 14, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Joy, Suffering

A Prayer about Joy in Trials

Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. James 1:2-3

Father of All Comfort,

We admit, “joy” is not often our first response 

when our car won’t start 

or when we receive a difficult diagnosis 

or when our child struggles in school 

or when we have a bad day at work…

And yet, you call us to “consider it a great joy” 

when we encounter all kinds of trials. 

You must have a good reason, 

and your gospel has made that reason clear:

Trials test our faith (James 1:2). 

When our kids are happy and our health is good and work works, 

we don’t always recognize you as the giver of these good gifts; 

we don’t always recognize our desperate dependence on you. 

But when trials come, when storms bring rough waters, 

we must anchor ourselves to your steadfast love.

You will sustain us, 

and “steadfastness” will one day have its full effect: 

having gone through this trial, 

we will be “mature and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:4). 

Gracious Father, that is what we want most of all: 

to be more and more like Christ, 

who “for the joy set before him, endured the cross…” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

By his grace, teach us to “count it joy” when we face trials, 

and grow our endurance.

In Jesus’ joy-full name. Amen. 

Read James 1:1-4; Hebrews 12:1-11.

A Prayer about Encouragement for the Faint-Hearted

by | Apr 29, 2023 | Church, Daily Prayer, Suffering

A Prayer about Encouragement for the Faint-Hearted

Encourage the fainthearted, and help the weak… 1 Thessalonians 5:14

Heavenly Father,

At times, our burdens become so great 

that we struggle 

to pray, 

to believe, 

to hope. 

At such times, 

we thank you for the church, 

the community of believers 

called to bear our burdens with us (Galatians 6:2). 

I remember when my kids were small 

and we had to walk a long way, 

my husband would sometimes lift them on his shoulders to give their weary legs a rest. 

From high above, 

they gained new perspective 

and a much-needed rest. 

In the same way, 

as we “encourage the fainthearted and help the weak,” may we give them 

the rest they desperately need. 

May we believe for them 

when they are struggling with doubt. 

May we hope for them 

when they are weary of waiting for redemption. 

May we endure hardship with them 

as they suffer. 

Lord, if we are the ones 

needing a rest, 

may we reach out for it 

and receive it. 

Lord, if we are the ones called and strengthened 

to give that rest, 

lead us to your weary ones who need it.

In Jesus’ burden-bearing name. Amen.

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:14; 1 Corinthians 13:7; Galatians 6:2.