You Need Help to Pray

 Do you pray again and again for healing, for months or years? You experience breakthroughs but then also relapses.

I experienced a complete nervous breakdown many years ago. My recovery took a long time, but I am grateful that I never gave up.

I know I exercised my free will by never giving up, but without God's grace and the faithful prayers of others, I would have been permanently ruined.

I know Christians with special gifts of faith. They pray for the seriously ill and disabled and they are instantly or miraculously healed.

I was there when a completely deaf toddler was prayed for. A week later I was there when he heard a voice for the first time in his life and visibly responded.

I know an ex-Muslim from Arabia who was a missionary for Jesus. An Arab gave him something to eat. A week later, the same Arab Muslim met him. He was amazed that the Christian Arab was still alive. He had put enough poison in the food to kill a camel.

Are you a father or a mother, a husband or a wife? Or are you a counsellor or therapist? You pray for weeks, months, years for someone who is seriously hurt or abused. This person is not a believer or is very weak in faith. You see God answer your prayers, but then you keep seeing relapses.

You ask yourself and also pray to God:
How long can I expend my energy to keep praying and expecting a miracle?  

You need help yourself. You cannot support your son or daughter on your own. Ultimately, only God can save, but how can you keep praying when your tank is empty?

What have I learnt in hard trials?

I find help in the Psalms. This is the prayer book of the Bible. I choose a psalm that meets my need and pray the verses of that psalm as a prayer for myself or for someone who is in deep need.

I love Psalm 3, Psalm 56, 57, 91 and 121. There are many others that can help you.

Please never give up. God is with you and your family.

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by.

I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me. Ps 57:1–2 NKJV

The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell.
Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident. Ps 27:1–3 NKJV

The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Ps 121:7–8 NIV