5 Prayers for Parents Struggling to Get through the Day

1. Everything's Going to Be Alright

One of my favorite Old Testament passages is from Exodus 14. The Israelites looked around and saw they were surrounded and were about to die. They complained to Moses, blaming him for their plight. Moses then says in verses 13-14: "Moses answered the people, 'Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.'"

When the Israelites laid down their weapons, the entire rest of the chapter explains how God took care of them. Laying down their weapons was counter-intuitive, given their situation. But because they had faith in God, great things happened when they laid down the only thing they had to defend themselves.

As parents, we use defense mechanisms to cope instead of going to God. We use denial, escape techniques, and busyness to take the place of the pain that's in our hearts. It is easy to numb ourselves with strategies like watching TV, eating, drinking, shopping, or other vices to help us get through the day. But God wants us to lay down all our pain and grief before him. God can turn any situation around if he chooses. If you have a child battling illness, lay your doubts and concerns before him. He promises not to waste any of our pain and uses it all for his good.

2. You Are Not Alone

Scripture says, "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them" (Matthew 18:20). God promises to catch all our tears in a bottle, and he knows our every trial before we go through it. Because God is omnipresent, he is always with us. We may not see him physically in front of us, but he has placed before us people from our local church, our family, friends, and others who are there to help us get through the rough times. Don't believe the lie that you must go through it alone. There are people who love you and want to help. However, they may not know exactly how to help. Be direct and help them understand how they can help you. Even if they just lend a listening ear and a tissue to help wipe your tears, it can help you in your struggles.

3. Lord, Show Me a Sign

In the book of Judges, Gideon laid out a fleece for God to demonstrate his presence. He asked God to leave the blanket wet while the ground around him stayed dry: "Gideon said to God, 'If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.'  And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water" (Judges 6:36-38). 

That confirmed Gideon did the right thing. God honored his faithfulness and did exactly as he had promised. If you feel like God has forgotten you, ask him for a sign. Ask him to show you he is listening and cares about you. It could be from someone you know, a lyric from a song, or a line from a television show. Whatever the case, ask God to give you a sign that everything will be okay. It's God's choice whether he chooses to fulfill that, but placing your hope in God, even if he shows you a sign to prove it, will give you hope that there are brighter days ahead.

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4. Lord, Help Me See You

Sometimes, when we are struggling, we deceive ourselves into thinking God has forgotten us. Because of this, it is difficult to see him in our circumstances. Cling to the Word and read your Bible consistently. It is impossible not to see God and his love for his people through it. Clinging to scripture will help change your heart from bitterness to contentment. Even if you have difficulty seeing God in your present circumstances, seeing God work on behalf of his people in the Bible will give you hope that he is working out this pain for your good as well.

5. Lord, Help Me Know You

It is up to God whether you see what good comes out of your present circumstances in this lifetime. However, God is interested most in seeing you become more Christ-like. Ask God to show you which fruits of the spirit he is working on in you. Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you as soon as you act in a way in accordance with the gifts of the spirit that you are becoming more Christ-like through this. God uses circumstances in our lives to make us more like him. Although we may not know the reason behind the pain here on earth, we can take solace in the fact that we will know how all of it worked for our good in heaven.

When We Become More Christ-like, We Intimately Know Him

God wants people in heaven who know him intimately. He doesn't want people to simply go through the spiritual motions of life. If you are struggling to get through the day, more than likely, you are dealing with a tremendous amount of pain and grief. Don't allow Satan to steal the possible joy you may gain from having this pain in your life. Satan loves to rob us of our joy by making us focus on him rather than on God. God, however, wants nothing more than for us to delight in his goodness and have an intimate relationship with him. It is through intimacy with God that we know him more deeply. Focus on God, and he will help you get through your daily activities. You may still feel pain and grief, but you will be content knowing that joy comes in the morning.

God promised us that we would go through pain and suffering. Although it may seem like forever, please know the pain and suffering you are going through is temporary. As Christians, we can look forward to eternity in heaven, and there will be no more pain, grief, or sorrow. In the end, we will know exactly why our trials happened. Keep your mind focused on the Word and God; he will help you get through the day.