A Prayer For a Difficult Day

Dear Father,

We come to you this morning, broken and hurting. We are so weary of pain, sleepless nights, and disappointments. We long for just one day (sometimes just one hour) without pain. Yet, the pain persists. And we know that You are good.

So, we get up, do what we can to ease the pain, and keep going. We long to serve you, so we do the best we can, even as our bodies ache. As we care for ourselves and our families, we trust that You will sustain us through whatever you’ve called us to do. As we go to work or school, though the pain persists, we know that, whatever You have called us to do, You will provide the strength and stamina to do it. And we know that You are merciful.

As grateful believers, we want to see You glorified in our pain! How will You use this pain for Your glory, Lord? Won’t You please send someone today that we can encourage? This journey has been so hard, and we want to use what we’ve learned to prop up another believer, or to share your love with one who doesn’t know You. This desire to glorify You makes the pain more bearable, and helps us to keep responding in a way that is pleasing to You, for we know that You are holy.

Oh, God, You know our hearts. You know that we are weak and desperate sometimes. Thank You for understanding when we weep and grieve our losses. Thank you for being our Great Comforter in those times of deep sadness. Holy Spirit, strengthen our hearts, and help us to look up--not down, not back, but up, to seek Your face in these times, for we know that You are gracious.

Oh, our good, merciful, holy, and gracious God, we beg you to use our pain for Your glory. You have said that all things work together for good to those who are called according to Your purpose (Romans 8:28), so we trust that this pain is ultimately for good. Because of that truth, we will persevere. Though our physical problem has taken some things from us, we know that it can never take our greatest Treasure. One day, in the blink of an eye, we will be with You. No more pain. No more disability. No more tears. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your promise of eternity. Hallelujah! What a Promise! What a Savior!