Joyful Moments in Christ

We often measure our well-being by our physical health or the clarity of our minds, but there comes a point for everyone where our human strength reaches its limit. It is a heavy burden to watch the people we love face the slow decline of aging or the heartbreaking fog of dementia, and it is natural to ask why a good God allows such deep struggle. This prayer is rooted in the vulnerable honesty of Psalm 73:26 and acknowledges the reality of our failing hearts and bodies while pointing us toward a strength that is not our own. As we seek to follow Jesus through these long shadows, we find that true joy and contentment are found in the promise that God remains our portion even when everything else is stripped away.

A Prayer

Dear Father,

You are a giver of strength. I adore you because you are the eternal and unshakeable rock upon which I stand. Your power does not diminish with time, and your mind never wanders or forgets those who belong to you. I praise you for being the sustainer of life! You hold the universe together by the word of your power but are tender enough to care for the weakest among us. You are the high and lofty one, and yet you choose to dwell with those who are of a contrite and humble spirit.

I confess that I find your ways to be a bit of a mystery. As I watch those I love age and suffer, I question your goodness and your timing. The physical pain of the old is bad enough, but the sickness of the mind that comes with dementia is even worse. Why do you allow this kind of torment both to a person and to the loved ones watching? I confess that I have harbored bitterness and doubt when I see the confusion and the loss of dignity that comes with illness. I feel so angry, and I am sorry for doubting that your hands are still at work in the middle of such darkness. Forgive me for valuing temporary comfort more than the eternal work you are doing in our souls.

Thank you that you give us strength exactly when we need it. When we think we are out of energy, you provide it through your Holy Spirit. Thank you for caring more about our souls than our earthly comfort, and for the promise that our light and momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory. When I think of all I have learned from walking through hard times, I realize that you work all things for our ultimate good. I am so thankful for the truth found in Psalm 73:26 (ESV): “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Thank you that even when my memory or the memories of those I love fail, you never forget us.

As I think of people who are suffering from dementia, I ask that you would walk with them in the quiet and the confusion. As they forget their loved ones and even themselves, I ask that you replace their memories with a deep, supernatural knowledge of you. As they lash out with confusion, anger, and fear, I pray that you will be their portion and their peace. Be their protector until they are released into your everlasting kingdom in Heaven, where there will be no more pain and suffering.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Reflect

Consider the following reflection questions:

1. How does the promise that God is your portion forever change the way you view the loss of physical or mental health?
2. When you see a loved one suffering, do you find it easier to turn toward God in prayer or away from him in anger?
3. In what ways has God provided you with strength in a moment when you felt you had nothing left to give?
4. How can we practically show the compassion of Christ to those who have lost their memory or their ability to care for themselves?
5. What does it mean for God to be the strength of your heart today, regardless of your physical circumstances?

Respond

Please pray a prayer for those suffering from dementia.

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.

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Related Resources

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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.