Raw Prayers: Praying Through Our FearsПримерок

PRAYING THROUGH FEAR WITH HOPE

After David escaped from Saul and then from Achish of Gath (Ahimelech,) he ended up hiding in a cave. There he became the head of an army of 400 ragtag malcontents. This was not a pattern for success, and from a human standpoint David’s future looked bleak. From the cave he writes this lament of Psalm 57. Again, we see David starting from a position of praise even as he begs God for mercy. He affirms that God will fulfill His purpose for David, and he praises God for His character of love and faithfulness. There is a rhythm of back-and-forth praise and petition, but the final ending of the psalm is David’s resounding hope. His future is secure, and he thanks God because He is worthy of gratitude and praise, regardless of the trouble David is enduring. David is still a relatively young man as he writes this psalm, but he has rock-solid hope and confidence and praises God in advance for his anticipated victory over the enemy. Wow! What a challenge for us as we face our fears and learn to cry out to God with honest and specific needs, praise Him amid our fears, acknowledge that He is in control and let that lead us to peace, and express our emotions to God even as we trust Him for the outcome with assurance and hope.

Ask Yourself:

-How can you, in the power of the Holy Spirit, make the command in Romans 12:12 real in your life?

-How can remembering God’s goodness and past protection help us rejoice in hope?

-What does it mean to be ‘constant in prayer’?

Pause to pray through your fears:

1- Think of one fear you have and tell God about it- be specific! “God, I’m afraid of ______.”

2- Tell God how you feel, “and God, I’m feeling_________.”

3- Remind yourself of God’s character, “But God, I know You are _______.”

4- Take a few deep breaths and pray that sentence over a few times. As you inhale, say, “But God, I know,” and as you exhale, repeat the characteristic of God.

5- End by thanking Him for the way He will save you from this fear. Amen!

Take a Next Step: As you review your list of promises of God, add 1 John 4:14 and Romans 12:12. Pause to rejoice in God’s faithfulness. Challenge yourself- memorize at least one of these promises!

Find more resources at www.whoisgrace.com/READ.

Look for the Raw Prayers season of the MY CHAIR podcast to supplement this reading plan.