How can we pray when it’s hard to pray? When we experience times of trouble and need God most, we often find it hardest to pray. Our emotions are all over the place. Words don’t come. Yet, God understands and left us many road maps to follow during those times. Today’s reading in Psalms has one example.
We’ll, also, look at a verse in Proverbs that could have been written about our turbulent political times. And we’ll take a closer look at Ezekiel’s puzzling vision of four living creatures and wheels within wheels and what it all means.
Today’s Readings:
Ezekiel 1 & 2
Psalm 119.153-160
Proverbs 28.12
Hebrews 1.1-14
When It’s Hard to Pray
Psalm 119.153-160:
Troubles
Troubles! They come to us all. Job said, “man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.”
And Jesus said:
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (Jn. 16.33).
But sometimes we don’t feel like overcomers in the midst of trouble. Sometimes we may even find it hard to pray. That’s when praying God’s inspired Word back to him and the examples of prayer found there can be helpful.
The psalmist in Psalm 119 found himself in the midst of trouble and he left us one of those great examples of how to pray when we find it hard to pray.
Praying When It’s Hard to Pray
The psalmist begins (in the New Living Translation):
153 Look upon my suffering and rescue me,
for I have not forgotten your instructions.
He’s real about his situation, but he turns, immediately, to the One who can and will help, protect, and strengthen him. He goes on:
154 Argue my case; take my side!
Protect my life as you promised.
He reminds God of His promises and approaches Him as his Advocate. Hebrews 7.25 says that Jesus ever lives to make intercession for us. And 1 John 2.1 says that we, too, have an Advocate with the Father.
155 The wicked are far from rescue,
for they do not bother with your decrees.
156 Lord, how great is your mercy;
let me be revived by following your regulations.
He remembers God’s mercy just as we’re told we can receive God’s mercy and grace in our time of need (Heb. 4.16). And he commits to remaining obedient. God’s grace enables us to do the same.
157 Many persecute and trouble me,
yet I have not swerved from your laws.
158 Seeing these traitors makes me sick at heart,
because they care nothing for your word.
He spells out the issues and problems before him.
159 See how I love your commandments, Lord.
Give back my life because of your unfailing love.
160 The very essence of your words is truth;
all your just regulations will stand forever.
And, finally, he clings to the character of God and the trustworthiness of His Word.
Making It Personal
When you’re in a season where you find it hard to pray, passages like this can give you an outline to follow. If that’s you, try personalizing this passage or another one.
And sometimes it isn’t just during difficult times that we find it hard to pray. Sometimes we get into a rut and feel like we’re praying the same things over and over. You can personalize many passages and pray them back to God. If you would like to read more on this topic, you can check out these posts:
“Praying like Paul: Prayer for Spiritual Growth”
“Frustrated with Your Prayer Life?”
You might also enjoy a book on the subject by Donald Whitney entitled, Praying the Bible. Or find out more about my eBook on prayer at the bottom of this post.
Today’s Other Readings:
Ezekiel 1 & 2:
Ezekiel’s Vision
The book of Ezekiel covers many of the same events as Jeremiah and Lamentations, but it begins with a spectacular, if somewhat puzzling, vision that allowed Ezekiel to get a glimpse of God’s glory.
An article on the Ligonier Ministries website provides this explanation:
The prophet’s vision concerns “four living creatures” that served as a type of chariot for the divine throne, the place from which “the likeness of the glory of the Lord” spoke to Ezekiel (vv. 4, 26, 28). Each of these beings had four different faces—human, eagle, lion, and ox (v. 10). In Scripture, each of these creatures is significant.
Human beings, of course, are made in the image and likeness of God, reflecting His capacity for wisdom, dignity, and so forth (Gen. 1:26–28). Eagles are prized in God’s Word for their speed and stateliness (Ps. 103:5; Jer. 48:40). The lion is known for its strength and courage (Judg. 14:5; Isa. 31:4), and oxen were found throughout the temple and the sacrificial system in which the presence of God was experienced (Num. 7; 1 Kings 7:23–37) …
Taken with the qualities mentioned above, they symbolize God’s omnipotence, wisdom, swiftness, and life-giving nature … This again points to the uniqueness of the Lord of Israel. He is the perfect embodiment of all of the attributes of deity, lacking nothing in Himself … the entire vision conveys the reality of the Lord’s transcendence, His “set-apartness” as the Creator and ruler of all. This is no God with whom we can trifle but the supreme Sovereign who is to be adored for His glory and truth.
Everything We Need
Like many of the prophets, Ezekiel was called to prophesy to a stubborn and hard-hearted people, who often mistreated those who spoke the truth they didn’t want to hear. As well as, being filled with other meanings, this incredible vision would help strengthen Ezekiel, encourage him in the reality of God’s power and majesty, and help prepare him for a difficult job.
What a great encouragement to us that God never calls us to do something without giving us all that we need to carry it out.
Proverbs 28.12:
When the Wicked Take Charge
When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory;
But when the wicked arise, men hide themselves.
The Puritan Pastor Matthew Henry says this in his commentary:
The comfort of the people of God is the honour of the nation in which they live. There is a great glory dwelling in the land when the righteous do rejoice, when they have their liberty, the free exercise of their religion, and are not persecuted, when the government countenances them and speaks comfortably to them, when they prosper and grow rich, and, much more, when they are preferred and employed and have power put into their hands.
He goes on:
The advancement of the wicked is the eclipsing of the beauty of a nation: When the wicked rise and get head they make head against all that is sacred, and then a man is hidden, a good man is thrust into obscurity, is necessitated to abscond for his own safety; corruptions prevail so generally that, as in Elijah’s time, there seem to be no good men left, the wicked walk so thickly on every side.
The New Living Translation says it this way:
When the godly succeed, everyone is glad.
When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding.
Hebrews 1.1-14:
Hebrews: A Study in Comparisons
The book of Hebrews compares the Levitical sacrificial system to the finished work of Christ. It compares:
- Animal sacrifices to the Perfect Lamb of God.
- The superiority of Christ to the ministry of angels.
It also:
- Shows us Christ as the Creator, the One who upholds all things by the word of His power, who purged our sins, and who sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Heb. 1.3).
- And reminds us that while God spoke in times past through the prophets, He is now speaking to us through the Son and His written Word (Heb. 1.1-2).
So I hope you’ll keep reading along with me as we start through these two new books: Hebrews and Ezekiel.
Coming Up:
In the next few days, we’ll talk about why God doesn’t immediately deal with some things, discuss the question, “Does Salvation + Time + Knowledge = Spiritual Maturity?” and look at whether we can be addicted to religion.
I hope you’ll sign up so you don’t miss any of them. You might also like to check out our YouTube channel.
If this post spoke to you, I would love it if you would share it on your favorite social media platform.
Blessings as you grow in Christ,
Donna ♥
Note about this post:
I began blogging through the Bible in 2012 and have done so every year since then. These posts are the product of many edits and additions throughout those years. Some days I make major changes, other days fewer.
A while ago, I read Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him about the attributes of God. One is His incomprehensibility. In it, she says, “God is incomprehensible. This does not mean that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known.”
I have found that to be true each year as I’ve gone back through the Bible. Sometimes I find myself feeling as if a passage just appeared there for the first time. I’m reminded that no matter how many times we read through the Bible, we have only scratched the surface. I hope you feel the same.
Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14)
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