Sometimes Christians lose their courage to continue, forget God wants to help, or complain to friends rather than turn to the One who can best give comfort. In the Psalms, David often cried out to God. David knew – like believers today know – that God knows exactly what is needed and can provide it. Yet the Bible teaches that God wants believers to ask for what they need.
Asking God for something need not be a formal petition. It is simply a conversation between a child and his or her heavenly Father. The real purpose is to remind the child to see things from God’s perspective.
Sample Prayer for Someone who is Sick and Single
Gracious God, I have been sick and even now feel tired and weak. Yet there are things to do and nobody but me to do them. If I stay in bed will you make me soup? Will You water my plants? Will you write the checks that must be sent today?
Sometimes You do send me manna from heaven in the form of a meal from a neighbor or friend. But when I must do for myself, give me strength to accomplish all that must be done: to cook so that I may eat, to pay bills, to do my job.
It is at times like this that I feel so alone, so vulnerable and sometimes even frightened of the future. I feel lonely. But You have said You will be with me, You will not forget or forsake me. Will You wrap Your arms of love around me now and comfort me when I hurt?
More importantly, will You blanket my heart with the warmth that can only come from You so that this loneliness becomes healing solitude and my fears turn to faith. Heal not only my body but also my spirit. Renew in me that confidence in You and Your provision that is shaken in times of stress, pain and doubt.
Oh, God, You are my strength and my redeemer. It is in Your name and not my health that I am secure. Remind me again of the steadfastness of Your provision and the security of my shelter under Your wings.
Grant me one more request: that in such times I would learn to be thankful, to praise Your name and sing hallelujah because my joy is not tied to my physical or emotional well-being. My foundation is solid and when storms batter me, I will cling to You, my rock, all the more. Great is thy faithfulness!
In the name of Jesus, amen.
People in the Bible Complain When Praying to God
In the King James Version of the Bible, there are fifteen instances of the word complain or a variation of it. Nearly half of them are in the book of Job who had a lot of things to complain about. Four of them are in the Psalms, three of them written by King David. Complaining to others about one’s circumstances is called grumbling but complaining privately to God, who can make a difference, is called Christian prayer.
Sample prayers are only examples of how to pray. Anyone can write a prayer, but written prayers are no better than just telling God what is on your heart. Letting go of pain, frustration and fear by telling God about your troubles can be a healthy thing.
People in a relationship may find help from A Christian Prayer for When Life is Crashing, Couple Prayers -- Praying After a Fight, or Couple Prayers for the Death of a Loved One.
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