Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am in distress, my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. My life is consumed with anguish and my years with groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. Psalm 31: 8-9 This text is a gripping and painful description of grief. It is a grief that goes on and on, a grief that consumes, a grief that wears … [Read more...] about Grieving as Prayer

All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him. I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares; I will search for the one my heart loves... Song of Songs 3:1,2 When we are suffering, when we need God the most, we may have the greatest sense of being abandoned by God. The suffering we experience may feel like … [Read more...] about Seeking God as Prayer

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. Psalm 22:1-2 This psalm gives expression to our deepest suffering. God absent. God silent. God hidden. God forsaking us. Even Jesus cried out to God from this place of terrible darkness. As he was … [Read more...] about Lament as Prayer

Be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul. Joshua 22:5 Prayer is sometimes holding on to God. Holding fast is something that infants do when they catch your finger in their little hand and … [Read more...] about Holding Fast as Prayer

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 Prayer is the act of making room within us for the gift of hope. Hope does not come naturally to us. For many of us, despair is what comes most naturally. We have a tendency to project our worst fears into the future. We imagine … [Read more...] about Making Room for Hope as Prayer

God is our refuge and strength,        an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way        and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam        and the mountains quake with their surging.     Psalm 46:1-3 Scripture often speaks to our fearful human hearts. “Do not be afraid, God is with you,” is a common … [Read more...] about Letting Go of Fear as Prayer

O LORD my God, I called to you for help        and you healed me. Psalm 30:2 The truth is that we are not well. We are full of fear and anxiety. We struggle with shame. We are caught up in obsessions and addictions. We are blind to our greed and pride. We are defensive, hard hearted and reactive. We are self centered. We fail to live as if we—and all others—are loved and valued beyond measure … [Read more...] about Asking for Healing as Prayer

When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:33-34 Forgiving others is a form of prayer. It is not easy for us to receive forgiveness. And it is not easy for us to forgive. Our tendency is to want to hold on to our … [Read more...] about Forgiving as Prayer

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9 God is a forgiving God. God extends the gift of forgiveness to us, asking us to receive it as a gift. Not glibly, as if nothing has happened. Not proudly as if we have earned this gift. But with godly sorrow and humility we are asked to receive the gift of … [Read more...] about Receiving Forgiveness as Prayer

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:5 Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount. Luke 19:8 A life of prayer includes acts of repentance and making amends. To repent is to … [Read more...] about Repenting and Making Amends as Prayer