Prayer’s Part in Hope

When you’ve accepted the circumstance and it has overwhelmed you, you need to know that you’re not in this alone. Paul made it clear he relied on the prayers of others when things got tough for him:

We don’t want you in the dark, friends, about how hard it was when all this came down on us in Asia province. It was so bad we didn’t think we were going to make it. We felt like we’d been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead! And he did it, rescued us from certain doom. And he’ll do it again, rescuing us as many times as we need rescuing. You and your prayers are part of the rescue operation—I don’t want you in the dark about that either. I can see your faces even now, lifted in praise for God’s deliverance of us, a rescue in which your prayers played such a crucial part. 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 (The Message)

Prayer plays a crucial part in rescuing the despondent. We are instructed to:

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 (New Living Translation)

As well as:

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:18 (New Living Translation)

Prayer makes a difference. Fervent, effectual prayers of the righteous see a lot get done. Prayer is not wishful thinking, it is a powerful spiritual tool that we need to take seriously and know how to operate in. But that’s not the topic at this time.

Instead I need to ask people who feel like they’ve fallen from the rope and crashed hard in the dark pit below – How can someone pray if they don’t know you need prayer?

I guess it’s a compliment for pastors: People move into a new area and start attending a new church and feel connect with the person leading the service and it’s natural for them to not get connected as easily in small groups. Then tragedy hits and in the panic to get someone a loved one to the hospital, they assume the pastor will know and meet them there. When it doesn’t happen, the pain is added to and… well, I’ve had to gently lead discussions months after the event around to the question “If you didn’t call, or text, or email… how did you expect me to know?”

Yes, I go to people who the Spirit impresses me to pray for to ask if there is anything specific to pray about. But I’m not batting 1000 at keeping in step with the Spirit… and I’m pretty much convinced God limits what He does supernaturally by what He instructs us to do in the natural.

Do you need help to hope again? Ask for it. It’s a risk sometimes, but the return on investment is substantial.

For some us, it is very difficult to appear needy. I’m not saying share your struggle with everyone – you can make an immature believer stumble. But everyone needs a mature believer they can cry out to.

A mature believer will be like the disciples who were secure enough in their experience with the risen Lord, they would allow the doubter Thomas to remain in relationship with them (John 20).

A mature believer can help bear the burden just by letting you be real (Galatians 6:2).

A mature believer will pray knowing their prayers can bring another through despondency, like how the church in Corinth supported Paul (2 Corinthians 1:11).

A mature believer knows and practices intercession.

Do you need encouragement to rise from your discouragement? Here is the promise for you:

“Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see.
For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you.
Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth,
but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. 
Isaiah 60:1-2 (New Living Translation)

To hope at the end of the rope you need to accept the circumstance, and confide in a mature believer for prayer if the circumstance overwhelms you.