Prayer when you feel like you can’t do anything
Written by Vivian Bricker
Bible reading:
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Listen or read below:
I have never been very good at anything in my life. The only thing I think I did well was when I was supposed to be listening to the teacher, I talked too much with my friends, which got on my parents’ nerves and I had to go to the principal’s office. When I started homeschooling in seventh grade, I was still a problem for my parents. But this time it was due to undiagnosed depression, anxiety, and an eating disorder.
Having such complex conflicts made it difficult for me to do normal things. My sister was able to do various tasks without any problem, but I had great difficulty.
My sister is very talented at playing the piano. She is naturally interested in music and has a talent for learning new instruments quickly. I, on the other hand, am not. Every Friday, my mom would have my sister and I have a piano recital where we would play the songs we were learning that week. My mother was never satisfied with my performance, but my sister received something like a standing ovation.
My sister’s performance is worthy of praise. But I still admit that it deeply hurt my feelings. Despite my best efforts to be good at something, I kept failing. As I was compared and never compared to my sister, these five words were etched into my heart: “You’re not good enough.” Despite sleepless nights, constant efforts, and doing everything I could, I accepted the belief that I was not good enough.
The idea that you are not good enough is still spinning around in my head. Because I’ve never seen anything or anyone completely break that cycle. In fact, we often encounter events that reaffirm our belief that we are failures.
The apostle Paul said: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'” Therefore I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). In this passage Paul recounts a personal conversation with the Lord. An event that seems to have changed his life. And it can change us too.
Since Jesus has added grace to our lives, we need to extend the same grace to ourselves. We may not be able to do many things perfectly, but the Lord still loves us and covers us with His grace (Ephesians 3:16-19). God is always with us and helps us when we are deeply disappointed in ourselves.
Paul said, let us boast in our weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon us. We can do the same, because our weakness reveals the Lord’s power even more clearly. We all fall short of the glory of God and are not enough on our own (Romans 3:23). We all fail sometimes and we can’t be the best at everything. It’s part of being human. Instead of blaming ourselves, we need to accept our humanity and accept the kindness of the Lord.
Let’s pray:
Dear Lord, we praise you that your power is made perfect in weakness. I am very weak and cannot work as much as I would like. I’m not perfect, but I know you don’t expect me to be. All I can do is do my best and let your power shine through me.
Help me remember this truth, even when I know I am not doing as well as those around me. I don’t like feeling like I’m not good enough, but I understand that it humbles me and helps me grow. Thank you for loving me despite my flaws and helping me become a better version of myself.
Lord, I give you all praise and honor. Amen.
Share your thoughts on today’s devotion in the Daily Prayer discussion in the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Christian Erfurt
Vivian Bricker earned a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry and then a Master of Arts with an emphasis in Theology. She loves theology, ministry, and all things helping others learn about Jesus. Check out more of her content on Cultivate.
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