On a recent Sunday we asked those attending to write out their prayers of lament. Here are some of those prayers.
Oh God, my heart hurts; my tears continue to fall so that I cannot see. Have You turned from me? Will I have Your fellowship again as I once did? I don’t even understand how I got here. Did the enemy so want to destroy me that it has led me to this? How do I find my way back?
God, my heart is grieved. You’ve asked me to lay down something precious to my heart. How can I let it go? My heart is sad but in obedience I release it into Your care.
You can move mountains, You can calm stormy seas and You can care for my precious children – I trust You. Help me to let go . . .
God, I’m stressed so deeply right now. I have no strength left. The pressures of my life are overwhelming. I need You to hear this. I need You to help me through this. I need strength to get through this troubling time.
Pick me up.
Don’t let me fall anymore.
Pick me up.
I can’t walk on my own.
I can’t do it.
Pick me up.
Teach me to walk.
Teach me to follow You.
Cut my chains.
Pick me up.
God, I don’t understand. Why does high school have to be so hard? Sometimes I wonder if I did something to deserve this. People say that in a few years this won’t hurt so bad. I hope they’re right. Will I ever laugh again? Will I ever be okay? God save me. Come quickly to rescue me for my heart fails within me.
I know You so well. Your word speaks to me, but still, I’m scared of almost everything. STILL.
God, why will my husband not give his life to You? Why? Why will You not answer my prays for him? Why? Why will he not admit he needs You? Why? Why is he afraid of the Church? Why? Why? Why?
Lord, I feel hopeless in my marriage. Help me to love and respect my husband.
I’m scared about my future. Graduating, finding a good job, finding the person I’m supposed to spend the rest of my life. It’s all so uncertain.
One who loves me continues to hurt me, so much, that I don’t want to be with her. How can this change? How can I be better towards her no matter how she is to me? Please show me the way.
God, I’m having bad dreams.
Lord, I am hurting. How come I have an amazing family, a “perfect” life, but I have never truly felt accepted, except by You? What is wrong with me?
Why can’t I feel You? I want You to be my desire, my all. Change my stone heart, turn it to flesh, make me Yours—more than belief—more than religion—more than obligation—I need to want You—focus on You—oh God, be my God.
My ex-husband continues to be manipulative; my children lash out at each other in their pain, frustration and confusion. My heart aches to teach them the fruit of the spirit so that we may have “Lion-Lamb Community” within our home.
Why do I have a communication barrier with my 13-year old daughter? She needs You, Jesus! She has struggled with trust, faith, and obedience. She has experienced the chaos of divorce and unhealthy relationships. Jesus, she needs You through the storm of life.
Please help my mom and dad stop fighting and get back together - and that I’ll get better grades.
God, I’ve been in such pain that every day since last June I’ve wished I were dead and have felt my family would be better off without me. Help me to adjust to the medication they have put me on for bipolar disorder. Help me to want to live again. Help me not to feel forsaken by You.
Why did I carry two babies to term only to watch them struggle and die…then to watch my healthy child to not appreciate life and want to die?
Lord, why haven’t You set me free? I struggled with this all my life. How can I continue with this internal battle? It is too much for me to bear. Please act! How much longer will You be silent? I just want to love You and serve You. I’m broken inside, please put me back together.
Father, please take this jealousy and resentment from me! It’s destroying me.
Lord, You were with me in my darkest hour. The tribulations and problems that came with betrayal and despair left me angry and complacent, not to mention very distant from You. Restore hope, purpose, and fulfillment in my life. Thank You for not abandoning me. Make me again an instrument of Your kingdom.
God please strengthen me as I fight my addiction. Help me to do what is right, not what is easy.
Why does my brother not love You or show his love for us? Why is he so bitter? Why am I still waiting for the things in life I want most? How long must I wait?
My God, my friend, I don’t know why You love me. I feel like giving up and I’m only 20. I can’t live another 80 years like this. I need know why You love me.
What is going on in my body, Lord? It scares me.
Lord, I don’t understand why You do not heal my son. He continues to suffer. Help us see through Your eyes. Give us grace to hang tightly to You and believe. When all is said and done—Lord, I know my Redeemer lives. Please answer quickly and turn our heaviness into great rejoicing!
Why is my child such a difficult child to raise?
Lord, I pray that food will not control me.
Why can’t my family be normal? Why did my dad have to die so suddenly? Why do I have to be so young and not have my parents? Why did my brother say such hurtful things to me? Why is my marriage so difficult? Why do we have to fight all the time? When will I have some time to rest?
Why can’t my son trust You enough to stop drinking?
Help my husband to find You - take his addiction away. Heal us both of our sinful nature and help us to be a healthy, loving family. Help us to lay our burdens on You. We cannot do this alone!
Why do I have to drink and hurt and be lonely?
I pray for the strength to remove myself from this hurtful situation. Keep me from depression. Show me the steps to take.
Why do I not feel as close to You as I once did, Lord? I want to be on fire for You and I just don’t know how to even start. I want to be connected with a church and really feel like that is where You want me to serve.
Why?
- did they separate?
- do I struggle with emotions?
- can’t I open up to anyone?
My dear God, how can my child hurt me this much? I’ll let go, but please don’t let my heart turn to stone. Keep me loving, keep me faithful, keep me gentle. Please fill this hole in my heart with Your purpose. Guide me… what’s left of me
Why do I struggle with sadness and depression? How will I overcome this? Lord, I often wonder where You are when I’m lonely - when I feel like I don’t know where I’m supposed to be or what I’m supposed to do. I wonder what You want for me. My comfort lies only in the fact that You are with me.
Lord, I don’t know much of anything these days. Not only do I have little to no direction, but I am also struggling with addictions that are bigger than me.
How am I ever going to live up to what You have planned for me? I constantly fail Your tests and can’t even be trusted with little things. Will I ever feel like I’m part of what You’re blessing?
There has been much life-changing turmoil in my life. Why can’t my retirement years be without such big problems? I want peace and only small problems.
Will I ever be able to trust a man enough to marry him?
I feel empty. It’s hard to pray. I’m anxious. I’ve been a Christian for 70 years. Why am I feeling this way now?
How long does my spouse have before he really begins to hurt from the cancer? How bad will it be? I don’t want him to have pain.
Lord, why is my marriage so troubled? When will my wife realize her bitterness and unforgiveness is damaging all of us?
I’m struggling with resentment. When I was a single parent and needed support from my Christian family, why was I was treated as though I had the plague?
Lord, why did You let my mother get Alzheimer’s? Why did You let my dad get cancer and die? Why haven’t You healed my husband of his chronic respiratory problems after You told me You would several years ago?
God be with me through the storms of life to keep my eyes focused only on You. Shelter our church, families, and college from the storms of life. Let us all know this storm will pass.
Lord, help me be the kind of father You are, and to share the Christian knowledge You have given me to others.
Lord Jesus, please continue to close the doors You want closed, open the doors You want opened in my career and in the leadership of my family.
Why aren’t my kids stronger in their faith?
I feel uneasiness in my life. How do I get to where You want me to be? I need You to finish what You started in me. Hold me as I struggle to find my way to You. I feel unsure and unsettled where I am. I know You call me to wholeheartedly follow You, but is there more? Please help me.
Lord, I’m scared about losing the people I love. Please help me to live so I won’t have regrets. Please help me to remember You are and will be with me. I don’t need to be afraid.
O God—my soul cries out for my child. Have You forgotten him? Please don’t. Please go after him. Find him. Please draw him to Yourself. Please. Please. Please. Find him. Love him. Keep him. For You are great, O Lord.
Why can’t my family just go to church together?
God, can You please heal my sins and continue to help me grow in You? Please help me understand what is right and what is wrong. Please help me not to lust. Help me day to day with these troubles.
I’m so frightened, God. I know You are the way and the truth and light. Still I am scared of what is yet to come. Open my heart to be obedient and surrendered to Your mercy.
God, help me forgive them completely for making me feel this way.
God, I feel so overwhelmed. Time is an enemy. I need Your guidance. Help me to make wise decisions about my business and relationships.
God, why do I not change as fast as I want to? Is there hope for me? Please give me the strength to keep my hope in You. Don’t let stress and anger have control.
I pray that You God will become the center of our family instead of our hurts and fears.
Lord, I need You to help me do what I feel like I cannot do. Help me!
Help me not live in fear about the future of my children and family. Help me to truly trust that You are always with me.
I’m so confused and I need help. I need direction in my relationship, job, and where to live.
Lord Jesus, why do I feel so alone? I hear Your word and I belong to a wonderful church body—but sometimes it’s just a building. I connect with no one. Oh Lord God, I know You love me. But I am so alone. I am dying of loneliness. Oh Lord, help me, rescue me!
I once got everything I ever prayed for—those days seem to be over. I feel like I wasted all of God’s favor and blessings—bailing me out of sinful behavior. I wish this chapter of my life was over. Only twice in my life did I feel like I could reach out and actually touch God! I wish God was that close again!
Why did You take Mother?
Save me. Fill the void that I feel. I need the fire in my life that I used to have. I cannot do it on my own.
I’ll praise You in this storm, Jesus. Help me get through this deployment, Lord. Help me get out of this debt. Take away my desire to shop—help me delight in You.
Help my mother to have peace, patience and strength from You. She is going through a divorce and feels like You have forsaken her.
Why was I the teenager that was scarred for life?
Graduation is in 3 weeks and then the “real world” is here. I’m not ready. I’m scared. I don’t know how to make this transition. Graduating college is the biggest change I’ve had to face and I’m scared.
Sometimes the pain is so great that I can no longer “feel.” Help me, God to feel again. I have so many unanswered questions!
I’m in my darkest hour because of my husband’s infidelity. God give me strength. Hold me. Take away the pain. Guide and direct me.
Why are people so judgmental? Why does my past keep affecting my relationships today? Why am I so depressed? Why do I feel so lonely?
My parents are going through a divorce. I pray that You could use me through this. Give me the strength and the right words, Lord.
Please help me to forgive those who have hurt me. Help me to find where I belong.
God, why does he not love me the way I love him? Why does it have to end?
Father, sometimes I get discouraged because my dad has been sick and suffering for such a long time and it seems like just when things seem to be getting better, something else goes wrong. I know that sometimes it seems like You’re not there, but I know You are. And, I just want Your will to be done and for my dad to be comforted and healed and happy again.
Our daughter is facing 10 years in prison for a cocaine addiction. She is going to rehab this week, leaving us with her son. It is breaking my heart. We love her so much. Why, why, why!
Why have You allowed so many burdens in my life? At time I didn’t think I could go on. Did You do it to make me strong? What do I need to do to stop the pain? Although I have had such struggles I have never stopped believing You are there for me . . . I just can’t understand Your plan.
Lord, I have carried this burden for 13 long years. Why can’t I let it go? It’s keeping me from knowing You the way I long to. Why won’t You take it from me once and for all? Set me free! Save me from this pain! Please carry me through.
Why can’t I love myself? Why can’t I feel You anymore? Nothing makes sense and You’re SILENT. I pray for wisdom but feel like I’m always in the dark. What do You want from me? When will I feel whole again? I know You hear me. Help me to trust.
Where were You when I was being hit by my daddy?
I lament the loss of my marriage and my family. I lament the pain my children have suffered. I feel a loneliness that sometimes overwhelms me.
I cannot battle homosexuality any longer. Make my thoughts, actions and desires pure. I want to rest assured that I am a masculine, Christian man. I want my dreams to come true of having a wife, a family, and an incredible Christian sex life. Make me 100% Yours.
Oh God! My heart is broken through this bad marriage. Please keep me from an affair that is so close to happening. I feel so lost! I need You, God! Please help me to feel You, and not the arms of another man.
Why did he have to die?
I can’t quit making bad decisions. I need to have the desire to love You again. Why is life so hard?
My daughter is having great emotional problems. My son is living a worldly life. My youngest son has never confessed Christ. Please heal my children. Why haven’t my prayers been answered for my children—over 50 years of praying?
Why, why oh God does my son refuse to even believe in You. What can I do besides pray. Give me the right words to say to him. Did I do something wrong?
God, why didn’t You save my marriage?
Why did my dad leave and treat us the way he did? Why does it seem none of my dreams ever come true? Why do I seem to struggle so much?
When I felt myself slipping away from You several years ago, and I cried out for You to remedy my drift, why didn’t You? Now I am far away and troubled by what I have become. Why can’t I do what I want to do?
Dear Lord, why does my sister have to be so mean to me! If You will, either help me to love her, or please Lord, help her.
Dear God, I am having trouble making friends. Will You help me?
Why can’t doctors find a relief for my pain?
When will my children turn to God?
Why can I not stay connected with You?
Oh God, why don’t You help the suffering, abused, starving and sick? Why do babies and children have to suffer abuse?
Why is life unfair for so many and some get everything handed to them on a silver platter?
Why is anxiety such a troubling issue in my life?
You said it’s not good for man to be alone. Why have I had to live most of my life alone? Why haven’t You brought someone for me to love?
Please continue to help me with my alcohol addiction.
Why do I let sin so easily beset me?
What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I be normal? Why can’t I make the people I love happy?
When will I feel peace in every aspect of my life with no questions, doubts or worries? Is that possible? If I don’t feel that peace does that mean I am not living in Your will? Can You take away my fear of making a wrong turn and straying unknowingly from Your will?
Father, why is my family torn apart with physical affliction, divorce and anger? I have done my very best to raise my children in the love and in the admonition of the Lord. Please hear my cry and draw near to me.
How long will the attack go on? I try so hard to follow Your directions. I know Your will is where I want to be. I am so weary and don’t know what to do.
Why do Christians who have lived all their lives for You have to live in bodily pain?
Where is my papa when I need him? Why is life so short and painful? Why do I have 2 pairs of parents? Why am I this way? Why can I not deal with things easily?