The past several months have been personally difficult and discouraging due to some pressing and very serious issues in our family. I’m sure you have all experienced such struggles. And if you are like me, the almost overwhelming weight of the temptation to “fix” everything in the lives of those I love threatened to undermine my peace, joy and contentment in the midst of my circumstances.
As I unburdened my heart to a dear friend, she took me to Psalm 40 and encouraged me to sit there with God for a while. What an amazing gift! For the sake of this blog, I am only going to focus upon the first three verses. There is so much richness and treasure to be mined here! Let me share with you some of the incredibly restorative prayers that burst out of these verses:
Psalm 40:1 says, “I waited patiently for the Lord.”
The Prayer of Waiting: Father, help me to wait patiently for You, to experience Your sweet and comforting presence in the midst of the chaos, confusion and pain! I trust You to be the answer to each of my loved ones’ lives, whether an issue, illness, situation, relationship or dysfunction. You alone can repair, restore and heal. Give me the ability to lay down my burdens at the foot of the cross of Christ so that I am able to watch you move in clarity and precision to do what cannot be done in my human strength. Help me to trust You fully with the lives, minds and hearts of those I love so that You can do Your work more perfectly within, around and through them. Please show me how to set aside my pride and my “need” to fix things or to “come to the rescue.” Give me the desire to get out of Your way and let You move!
God’s Response to the Prayer of Waiting:
Psalm 40:1 says, “And He turned to me, and heard my cry.”
My Prayer: How amazing to me that You, the God of the Universe, literally leaned in toward me and heard my cry! How precious I am to You! How grateful my heart is and how much I must mean to You to take time to hear my pitiful cries for help. In the midst of my anguish, You care for me so very much—way more than I could ever imagine! Thank You, Abba Father, for bending down and ministering to my broken spirit. Thank You that I can always know You are listening and hearing me as I call upon Your holy name!
Psalm 40:2 says, “He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay.”
My Prayer: Loving Jesus, You not only heard my cries for help, but You brought me up out of the pit—the desperate place where I was filled with despair and discouragement and doubt and depression. When I was sinking in the mire, You filled me with hope and allowed me to see the light in the midst of one of the darkest places and seasons I have ever known. My heart is filled with thanksgiving that You have literally pulled me out of the clay that was sucking me under. I was struck down but not destroyed (2 Cor. 4:9) for You defeated the enemy on my behalf.
