When you don’t know where to begin

Has anyone ever asked you a question and you honestly didn’t know where to begin?

Perhaps the answer was too extensive to be succinct, too personal to feel comfortable, or too complicated to know where to start. I can feel that way with God. I want to tell Him everything, but sometimes life is so complicated that I don’t know where to begin, or I don’t have time to spell it all out right now. Sometimes I don’t feel like bawling my eyes out because my heart hurts too much to unzip it up right now, or I had just put on mascara to go to work (usually both).

When life is like that, these are things I cling to:

The Spirit groans for us.

If all we can do is groan, that is enough. Give the guttural sounds to God. Go ahead and groan! The Spirit knows the words that match our sounds and intercedes for us.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)

Jesus intercedes for us.

If I don’t know where to begin and don’t want to cry it out just yet, just saying, “help,” is enough. That single word ascends to the ears of Jesus who sits at the right hand of God. Jesus knows exactly what the word “help” means because he knows us completely. Just like the Spirit intercedes, Jesus turns our single word into the full heart-spill it represents. He talks to the Father for us on our behalf.

Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:34)

Pray Scripture

In hard times, it is important to keep turning the pages of our bible. Stay close to Scripture, and when you run across a promise that grips your heart, pray it. I happen to be in a rough season of life right now. I have recently groaned and said, “help,” in prayer. Here is a recent example of praying one of my favorite promises that has seen me through many difficult times: When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. (Isaiah 43:2)

This week I turned these words into prayer.

Thank you, Lord, that when I pass through the waters, you are with me. When I pass through rivers, they will not sweep over me, and when I walk through fire, I will not be burned. The flames will NOT set me ablaze!

As I left my bedroom to face the day, I added, Lord, my nose is barely above the water (I had my nose tipped up as I prayed and acted it out) and the fire feels close. Take care of me. I trust this promise. I trust You with today.

Prayer may look different in tough times.

You may have a regular format you follow in prayer. I do, and it takes a while to complete it. But when tough times come, don’t be alarmed if your prayer routine changes drastically. As long as you are handing groans and cries of help to God through Jesus, and as long as you are turning your pages of the bible, your prayer life is fine. The season will end and you will return to normalcy.

Don’t fret that it’s not looking pretty today.

Picture Explanation: Someone went to their first baseball game!

Online study starting June 4 – July 9. Tuesdays from 7-9 pm.

Speaking of living our short life speaking words that heal: If you are interested in participating in an online One Gritty Blink Bible study this summer, click on the Oaks Ministries link below and send me an email so I can place you on a list to be contacted as online and face-to-face studies are planned. Let’s not just focus on things in this short life, but also what counts for eternity.

Note: No part of my posts are derived from A.I. Thoughts and writing stem from my mind and heart as I process life week-by-week and continue to grow in my understanding of God and how to apply His wisdom to the world around me.

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