When the What and How is Challenging, Focus on the Who

Today’s Bible reading is Psalm 69.

There are days when we simply don’t know what to pray. At times, we may feel as if we’ve forgotten how to pray. But by God’s grace, when the what and how of prayer seem foggy at best, Psalm 69 can serve as a lamp for our feet and a light to our path.

Notice the difficult circumstances in David’s life as described in Psalm 69:

• The waters have come up to my neck (69:1)
• I sink in deep mire where there is no foothold (69:2)
• I am weary with my crying out (69:3)
• My throat is parched; my eyes grow dim with waiting for my God (69:3)
• More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause (69:4)
• Mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies (69:4)
• I looked for pity, but there was none; I looked for comforters, but I found none (69:20)

What can you pray during such tough times? How can you continue to pray, searching for light in the midst of such darkness? If Psalm 69 teaches us anything, it’s this: when the what and the how of prayer is challenging, focus on the WHO–the “God of hosts” described throughout this song of David.

• Nothing can be hidden from him (69:5)
• He is the I AM who hears the prayers of the needy (69:13, 33)
• At an acceptable time, from an abundance of steadfast love, he answers in saving faithfulness (69:13)
• He is an all-powerful deliverer (69:14)
• He is perfect in steadfast love and abundant in mercy (69:16)
• He draws near, redeems, and ransoms (69:18)
• He does not despise his own people who are in distress (69:33)
• He is worthy of praise in heaven and on earth (69:34)
• He blesses those who love his name (69:36)

When the what is foggy and the how seems dark, those are the moments when the WHO behind prayer shines brightest.

What a blessing, when the storms of life are raging, to be granted steadfast and sure access to the throne room of heaven through prayer! What will you do with that blessing today?