A Prayer for God's Guidance

I remember the days of begging God for wisdom and direction over my marriage. My husband had an affair with a woman in our church. I chose forgiveness and reconciliation. But, as the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, I knew something was not right. I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what was wrong, but I knew there was something seriously wrong.

“God, I need you,” I cried out day after day.

“God, how do I handle this situation?”

“God, show me what to do!”

Over and over I ran to God, begging Him to show me exactly what to do. Do I stay and pray for him to repent? Do I walk out and file for divorce?

No matter which path I chose, I knew there were very hard days in my future. Eventually, I felt God give me the freedom to walk…and even 10 years later I know I was following God.

Sadly, Roy and I find ourselves in a very difficult, very painful situation today (just to clarify, it has NOTHING to do with our marriage). Last night, we just fell into one another’s arms, crying out to God, begging for His wisdom, His direction. Our hearts are heavy and burdened, our minds swirling with thoughts. We are at a loss, no human wisdom can guide us in how to handle the situation.

Maybe you understand our hearts, our fears. Maybe you are begging God for direction with us. Maybe you are struggling to clear the distractions from your mind to make sense of life.

If so, can we just pray together and ask God to give us wisdom and direction?

Lord Jesus, our hearts are heavy and burdened. This life is so often hard and painful, more than we know how to handle. And we don’t want to handle this life on our own! We need you. We need you to open our eyes, to illuminate the path you have for us.

We are in one of those situations where there is no easy answer. No matter which way we go, the pain will be immense. Our minds are all over the place with no clarity. We don’t even know how to pray at this time.

Thank you that you are seated at the right hand of the throne of God making intercession for us with groans that we cannot understand (Romans 8:26)! We are without words, without directions. We are lost and confused in this situation. We don’t know what to say. But what a beautiful promise to know that when we don’t know how to pray, you are praying for us…you the author and perfecter of our faith…you the One who knows our future. Thank you that you love us enough to say the words we cannot find at this time.

You tell us your word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). Would you please shine your light clearly on the path we need to take? Would you use your word to tell us which direction we should go? We need your direction. We don’t want to make this decision on our own. We are desperate to hear from you, desperate to know your will for our situation. Be a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day, moving before us to show us the way.

You have promised that you will fight for us, that we just need to be still (Exodus 14:14). Help us to be still long enough to hear you. Go before us and prepare the way. Go behind us and protect us. Walk beside us as we move forward.

Father, You tell us your yoke is easy and your burden is light (Matthew 11:30). I believe you. This burden is so heavy, so unbearable. But we run to you, begging you to carry it for us, to help us yoke together with you so you will bear the burden.

Show us how to cast our cares on you because we know you care for us (1 Peter 5:8). This burden has been ongoing, a constant dripping in our minds. We keep casting it on you, but it seems that we always end up carrying it again. That’s not what we want. We want you to take it from us. We don’t want it any longer.

We ask that our righteousness would shine like the dawn and the justice of our cause like the noonday sun (Psalm 34:6-7). You know our hearts. You know we want nothing more than to be a light for you. You know we want your best for everyone involved in this situation. You know we have done our best to walk in righteousness, to live as you would have us to. Let our righteousness shine for all to see.

As we run to you, help us to get our minds focused on you so that your perfect peace can guard our hearts and minds in you (Isaiah 26:3). Father, we know you are our friend, our helper, our comforter. We know you are our peace. We know that when we lose ourselves in you, you wrap us in your peace that surpasses all understanding. Guard us.

Help us not to worry about this situation or anything else. Instead, help us to pray about everything (Philippians 4:6). And help us to focus our minds on all of the blessings you have given us, all of the beauty you pour out on us each and every day. Help us to remember your mercies are new every morning. How great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23)!

Father, we thank you that we are not alone on this journey called life. We thank you that you are our guide for every step we take. We thank you that you are Sovereign over everything we face, that you have already overcome! Thank you that we are victors in you!

We commit this day, this decision, to you and trust you to live through us. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.