Sadness, Peace, and Prayer
author: Hope at Joy In The Mourning Ministries
I have been thinking recently about prayer. There have been times in my life where I have gotten discouraged with praying. Sometimes with me, when I pray constantly about an issue and it neither resolves or is stagnant, it feels like God does not hear me, when, in reality, He is just saying no or waiting for the correct time. This book series I have been reading has helped my prayer life recently. It reminds me that God truly cares about all of our needs. I sometimes forget I can come to God for everything and it turns into more of an needed basis. The truth is I need God every day and every hour. In the book, one of the characters was going through a hard time and they wondered if prayer actually worked if God knows what we are thinking and He already knows all the answers. I have heard it said before that prayer is more for our faith walk and our relationship with God than it is about God changing His plan. God loves to hear from us. Sometimes when we do not receive an answer, or if the answer is no, it is hard to keep praying.
Prayer is so important and the Bible makes that clear. In Philippians 4:6-7, it tells us to pray.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, vwhich surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
This is commanding us to pray in everything; not just when we are anxious or times are tough. There is also another passage in the Bible where it talks about God interceding for us.
Romans 8:26 says: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”
I was a little confused on what this wording meant, but I looked it up from gotquestions.org (which is a good and reliable resource for biblical questions) and it says that it is talking about when we do not know what to say and we are at a brain fog. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us and gives us the strength to pray without using words. In times of sorrow and disappointment, I find I do not know what to say. I will just begin to have the heart posture of prayer and tears will come. God knows our hearts and He knows when we are crying out. Eventually words will come, but God cares and the Holy Spirit is interceding for us daily when we cry out for help and pray.
Let us find joy this week in the reminder that the key to finding peace is simply through prayer AND we do not have to have the words to pray. We are not alone. In knowing that truth as a fact, let us also share this encouragement with others we cross paths with that may be in a similar emotional state. Sadness and peace can coexist. Joy can be found in the peace God gives, even in the midst of our grief.
