Joyful Moments in Christ

We often spend our lives waiting for something to change—waiting for a better job, for a relationship to improve, or for a difficult season to finally end. In our restless searching for happiness, we frequently try to fix our own problems, only to find that we have dug ourselves into a deeper hole. This prayer, based on the honest realization in Psalm 39:7, invites us to stop putting our expectations on the world around us and to place them back on the only one who can truly sustain us. As we seek to follow Jesus, we will find that real contentment and joy are not found in the absence of trouble, but in the certainty of our hope in God. When we shift our focus from our circumstances to his character, we will find a firm place to stand.

A Prayer

Dear Father,

You are holy and good. You are gracious and kind. I adore you because you are the steady anchor in a world of shifting sands. You are the source of all truth, and your mercy is a refuge for the weary heart. I praise you for your infinite patience and for the way you forgive all who come to you in repentance. You are not a distant judge, but a loving Father who draws near to those who call upon your name.

I confess that I require your forgiveness way too often. Just as David made huge mistakes, I also make mistakes that grieve your heart. I see things that appear to be good and I take them without weighing the morality or the long-term consequences. I am sorry for the times I have prioritized my immediate comfort over your eternal wisdom. I confess that I frequently put myself into bad situations that could have been avoided, and then I call out to you to rescue me from the consequences of my own choices. I have let my heart wander after things that cannot satisfy, and I have forgotten that you are the only one who can truly provide for my needs.

Thank you for not leaving me to my own devices. Thank you for answering my call, even when my voice is weak or stained by my own failures. I am so grateful that there is no hole that is too deep for you to pull me out. You are my hope and my salvation, and your grace is sufficient for every mess I have made. I thank you for the promise in Psalm 39:7 (ESV): “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” Thank you that I do not have to wait for the world to be perfect before I can find rest in you.

Even so, please help me to do better. Help me to avoid the hole, and even more so, help me to avoid digging my own hole through pride or impulsiveness! Make my mind and heart pure so that I may see you more clearly. Give me a heart for your kingdom and your righteousness, and grant me a deep joy that remains steady regardless of my outward situation. Help me to avoid temptation and to walk in the light of your truth. Please help me to avoid tempting others or bringing them into their own pit through my words or actions. You are a good God and I trust you with my care. My hope is in you alone.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Reflect

Consider the following reflection questions:

1. What are you currently waiting for that is causing you to feel restless or anxious?
2. How does it change your perspective to realize that God is ready to pull you out of any hole, even one you dug yourself?
3. In what area of your life have you been choosing temporary comfort over long-term morality?
4. How can you practically place your hope in God today instead of in a change of circumstances?
5. Is there a bad situation you are currently facing that could have been avoided? How can you seek God’s wisdom to navigate it now?

Respond

Please pray a prayer about placing your hope in the Lord.

If you aren’t sure where to begin, you can use the ACTS prayer method: Adoration, Confession, Thankfulness, and Supplication:

• Adoration: Praise God. Does this verse bring any specific characteristics of God to mind?
• Confession: Tell God that you are sorry for specific sins. Does this verse bring any specific sins to mind?
• Thankfulness: Show gratitude towards God. Does anything from this verse inspire gratitude?
• Supplication: Make requests for yourself and for others. Does anything from this verse inspire a prayer?

If helpful, you can use a prayer journal template.

Subscribe

If you enjoyed this post and wish to receive more Christian content, please subscribe to my newsletters!

Related Resources

Visit the Joyful Moments in Christ homepage for all posts, or scroll through other blog posts related to waiting and hoping:

English Standard Version (ESV): Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.