Prayers

Prayer When God Feels Distant

by Stephen Wong
07/27/20
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Lord God,

Why do you feel so far away?

I know that you are always with us,

But for some reason I can’t feel your presence,

I can’t find any comfort in your love wherever I turn,

No matter how many times I recite a Bible verse,

My faith still feels so flat,

Even as I pray to you at this moment,

It feels like I am calling out to empty space,

Lord, it feels so easy to just stop reaching out to you,

But I am reminded that I need you in all things,

So Lord, when I struggle to know your presence,

Help me to see your invisible qualities in the simple things around me,

Remind me of the beauty of walking through a park,

Or the calmness of staring out across the ocean,

Or the embracing warmth of a glorious sunrise,

Or the wonders of gazing up into the night sky,

Which are all evidences of your eternal power and glory,

Teach me to experience your loving hand,

Through the listening ear and kind words of a friend,

Or the unexpected kindnesses from a stranger,

Or the warm company of family around the dinner table,

I pray that my heart might be stirred to thankfulness,

As I begin to recognise the small daily blessings you grant me,

Through a restful night of sleep,

Or a warm cup of coffee to wake me up in the morning,

Or when my favourite song is playing on the radio,

Or when I have the afternoon off to read through my favourite book,

Please also search my heart Lord,

Have mercy and purify me if I have been led astray toward selfish desires,

Or if I have been following the lies and false promises of this world,

Teach me to cast aside anything that would hinder my pursuit of you,

Furthermore, I pray that when I am too weak to pick up the Bible,

Please provide me with faithful friends who can keep pointing me to you,

Reminding me of the truth of your faithfulness and love,

And gently challenging me to persevere in faith,

When I am tempted to give up on church completely,

Give me the strength to walk through the doors each week,

So that I might experience your power at work through your body,

And find the help that I need within your loving family,

Although I wrestle now in this season of darkness,

I can be confident that you will see me through it,

So I eagerly wait for the new morning when my heart will leap for joy again,

And I will be reminded that you never once left my side.