A prayer in the midst of distress:
Heavy concerns weigh upon my heart, Lord,
beyond my abilities to remedy.
My thoughts bounce from faith-affirmations
to faltering “what-ifs.”
I wonder, “How long, O Lord; how long?” (Psalm 6:3)
And so I come, to curl up on your footstool (Psalm 132:7),
to rest in your comforting presence ( Psalm 62:1),
to catch my breath, slow my heart rate, and
look to you for uplift in my mind and spirit (Psalm 145:14).
I hear your tender voice reminding me:
“I am watching over you (Psalm 121:8),
surrounding you with my unfailing love (Psalm 32:10).
Just as I’ve promised in my Word,
I will provide guidance for the path ahead (Proverbs 3:5-6)
and the power to endure (Isaiah 40:29).
I am faithful in all I do, never forsaking those who seek me (Psalm 36:5; Psalm 9:10).
Remember, I have always been your help (Psalm 46:1);
I have always sustained you through every challenge (Isaiah 41:10).”
Thank you, Father, for your reassurances.
Already I feel strength returning to my soul (Psalm 138:3)
and hope cheering my heart (Psalm 94:19).
I praise you for your attentiveness (Matthew 10:29-31)—
your watchful care, unfailing love, and reliable guidance,
your unstoppable power, everlasting faithfulness, and ever-ready help.*
I picture you reaching down,
cupping my chin in your hand,
and lifting my head to look into your eyes (Psalm 3:3)—
eyes that speak-without-words of your love,
compassion, patience, and forgiveness.*
And in my heart I hear you reaffirm:
“Know this:
As you come into my presence and
allow me to lift your head (Psalm 3:3)—
To encourage, edify, and inspire your spirit,
I will bestow multiple blessings, including:
ALLEVIATION—
As I firmly support you to bear these burdens (Psalm 68:19),
ANTICIPATION—
for the intervention I can provide (Isaiah 64:4),
CONSOLATION—
to ease the distress (Matthew 11:28-29).
INSPIRATION—
to press on with confidence (Galatians 6:9),
LIBERATION—
from crippling guilt and nagging doubts (Romans 8:1; Isaiah 41:10),
MANIFESTION—
of my comforting, empowering presence (Psalm 23:4), and
RESTORATION—
of hope to fuel your spirit and faith to carry on (Isaiah 40:31).
“Then the uplift of your spirit will become evident
In the uplift of your face (Proverbs 27:19),
as trust supersedes concern, and
expectation displaces doubt.”
I praise you, Lord—
You’ve heard my cry for mercy.
You are my strength and shield;
my heart trusts in you, and you help me (Psalm 28:6-7).
Hallelujah!
*Psalms 103 and 145 celebrate many of God’s awesome attributes.
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From the Inside Out 
Thank you!
This is lovely and such a blessing to me!
Dawn
You’re welcome, Apple Tea–praise God you found blessing here!
This was absolutely beautiful Nancy and felt like Spiritual CPR…thank you for this inspiration! I so appreciate your encouragement!!❤️
So glad you found beauty here. And what a blessing for me to be able to encourage you, dear friend!
A beautiful meditation Nancy!
Thank you, Dwight. Praise God for his inspiration!
This prayer is such a beautiful compilation of verses to lift us up and assure us of God’s presence. My favorite of these is Isaiah 41:10.
Thank you, Linda. Isaiah 41:10 IS a wonderful, all-inclusive promise, guaranteeing God’s presence, strength, help and support. Such comfort!
A psalm of psalms, Nancy! Thank you for refreshing my spirit during these days full of troubles to look up and see Him in whom my hope lies and freedom from every fear. 🙏❤️
You’re most welcome, Dora. As always I must praise God for his inspiration!
Lovely reflections intertwined with scripture. Thanks, Nancy! 🙂
You’re welcome, Nancy. I’m so thankful for God’s Word, with its guidance and encouragement. I know you feel the same!
Sure do! 😁🙏🙏🙏😁
How your words here so deeply touched my soul, Nancy. When troubles come, may we always remember the only source of help that we have and can always cherish. Blessings!
Praise God he used this post to touch your soul, Martha. We do indeed have a singular source of help who’s always available, perfect in wisdom to guide, and all-powerful to provide exactly what we need, when we need it. God is indeed to be cherished!
Nancy, this was so beautiful. Thank you, I was so blessed by these words and am going to send this to a friend who I am sure will be blessed too.
Praise God he used this post to bless you, Manu, and hopefully your friend as well. That warms my heart, and as always I must give credit to Him for his inspiration!
Such beautiful and comforting promises from His Word, Nancy. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Dianna. Praise God you found beauty and comfort here!
Thank you for all these wonderful verses filled with promise and hope for the future. I really needed this today. There are some prayers that we simply have to turn over to Him and trust that He will rescue us in our time of need.
Amen, Kathy. You are so right: “turn over and trust.” Those four words could become the starter of a breath prayer, such as: “I turn this over TO You; My trust is IN You.” Thank you for the inspiration!
Thank you too. Have a blessed weekend.
Amen. Thank you for posting this message. I needed to read this today. God bless you.
Praise God for his timing, Melissa! And thank you for your blessing. Already today I’ve enjoyed the blessings of a beautiful sunny day, running errands with my husband, a delicious lunch together at Cheesecake Factory, and watching an owl in the underbrush at the back of our yard when we returned home. I pray your Friday is full of blessing also!
Thank you, Nancy, for this beautiful prayer of scripture!
Blessings,
Pam
You’re welcome, Pam! So glad you found beauty here. Praise God for his inspiration!
Thank you for these prayer words lifted right from the pages of Scripture! So reassuring. TT
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You’re welcome, Michele. Praise God for leading me to each verse that offered pertinent encouragement. Devotionals and commentary are wonderful, but there’s nothing like God’s Word itself to provide trustworthy reassurance we can count on!
Oh Nancy, what a lovely amalgam of prayers you’ve put together. These are all good stuff, and I’m particularly feeling led to revisit Isaiah soon. 🙂
Thank you, Stacey. I’m so glad you found “good stuff” here! 😊 Isaiah includes some troubling “woes” for rebellious nations, including Israel. But there are also glorious passages of hope and promise!
wow how powerful and lovely is this post! I love how you dwell deep in the Word and bring it to life for us!
Thank you, Jean. As always, I praise God for his inspiration and direction as I write. And you already know how I love to study the Bible!
Nancy,
Especially in times like today. The world likes to yell so you can’t hear the Lord’s still small voice.
Thank you, Gary
Gary Avants Forbear Productions * *garyavants66@gmail.com garyavants66@gmail.com
Very true, Gary. It takes effort–but it’s well worth it, isn’t it!
Thanks Nancy, What a wonderful reminder that he is there with us … even when we don’t feel it.
Thank you, Sam. You’ve reminded me of a Babbie Mason song from a couple of decades ago, “Trust His Heart.” Perhaps you remember it too. One line reminds us: “When you can’t see His hand, trust His heart.” The Bible helps us do exactly that, with all its truths about God and His promises!
What a beautiful and encouraging post! ❤
Thank you, Anna. Praise God for his inspiration!
Amen and Amen. Thank You, Jesus, for hearing the cry of our hearts. For being very present in times of trouble. For knowing the end from the beginning. For the new life You’ve given us. For Your ever-present Spirit.
We long for Your appearing. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
Praise God for such truths as you shared in you prayer above, offering comfort and courage. Thank you, LInda!
The best encouragement ever is from God‘s Word. Thank you for sharing these wonderful scriptures, Nancy.
You’re welcome, Patty. And I couldn’t agree with you more, that the best enccouragement comes from God’s Word. I too am SO grateful for the instruction, wisdom, and support of God’s Word!
Beautifully written and perfect for me today. Thank you.
Thank you, Cheri, and praise God for his timing!
Thank you for sharing this beautifully written message of hope. This is a post to ponder…so full of inspiration!
Praise God you found beauty, hope, and inspiration here, Linda! Thank you for being such a faithful reader.