Prayer because I don’t know how to pray anymore
Written by Rachel Wojo
Bible reading:
“Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there and traveled for a day into the wilderness. Elijah came to a broom bush and sat under it and prayed that he might die. ‘Lord, I have had enough,’ he said. ‘Give me my life, for I am no less than my fathers.'” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. ” 1 Kings 19:3-5 NIV
Listen or read below:
Elijah had just called forth fire from heaven. Can you imagine that? He overtook the tank. As someone who has run a half marathon before, I’m preoccupied with this. He saw God manifest in one of the most dramatic displays of power recorded in all of Scripture. But a few verses later, he sits under a broom bush in the wilderness and asks God to let him die.
Jezebel’s death wish was a turning point for him.
Have you ever said the same thing to God, perhaps in different words? Something like, “Lord, enough is enough.”
When I think of his prayers, I feel like he was the one who had nothing to say and said it anyway.
But I think it’s interesting that Elijah didn’t stop talking to God even when he ran out of words. He didn’t wait until he brought something more subdued. He brought the remains of what was left, sat under a bush and said the most honest thing he could find. God did not rebuke him for it. No, God sent an angel to Elijah with food and told him to sleep.
When Elijah became speechless, the first thing God did was provide for his physical needs of food and rest.
I have been in places where prayer felt impossible. When I heard the news of my daughter Taylor’s rare terminal diagnosis, I remember sitting on the sidelines and realizing that the words in my head were not forming any sort of orderly structure. Nothing is lined up. Nothing worked. I didn’t know how to start, so for a while I sat before God and prayed without saying anything.
What I slowly learned, leaning heavily into the Holy Spirit that season, is that God does not require us to form our words before He meets us. Romans 8:26 says that the Spirit helps us in our weakness, that we do not always know what to pray for, but that he intercedes for us with groanings that are unspeakable. The Spirit prays even when we cannot. He fills the silence we bring.
Elijah’s prayer under the broom bush was exhausting, honest, and short. But I’m glad that was enough. God heard, met, and gently asked, “Elijah, what are you doing here?”
God asks us the same question. It’s not because God doesn’t know where we are, but because sometimes we need to say it out loud. I came here because I was tired. I came here because I didn’t know what else to order. I’m here because this is all I have.
These words are to be expressed before the Lord in prayer. he hears it.
If you are in a season where prayer feels monotonous or you feel like you have completely run out of words, you are not failing in your faith journey. You may be in the most honest place you have ever stood before God. Please bring what you have. Sit under the broom bush. Let the Spirit do what you cannot do.
You never had to have it together until he came along.
Take comfort in that today.
Would you like to pray together?
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father,
I’ll be honest. I don’t know what to say to you now. The words don’t come out, and even when they do, it doesn’t feel like it’s enough. I am tired in a way that is hard to explain and prayer feels further away than ever.
But I’m here. That’s what I have today.
Thank you for your Spirit interceding for me when I couldn’t find the words. Thank you for meeting Elijah under the broom bush, without disappointment, with food, rest and quiet questions. See you here too.
I believe that you will hear what I cannot say. That’s enough for today.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen.
Share your thoughts on today’s devotion in the Daily Prayer discussion in the Crosswalk Forum.
If you’re looking for a place to bring your struggling prayer life back to God, especially during seasons when the language is completely lost, be sure to check out my book, Desperate Prayer: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life’s Darkest Moments. Until next time, remember. God sees you, hears your voice, and knows your needs.
Photo provided by: ©Getty Images/Ippei Naoi
Rachel Wojo is an inspirational author, speaker, and podcaster known for her popular blog rachelwojo.com. Through her Biblical approach and personal life experience, Rachel empowers women to find strength and hope in everyday situations. Despite enduring the loss of her mother, her special needs adult daughter, and her father, Rachel remains resilient. She is the author of the uplifting book Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life’s Darkest Moments and a beautiful new spiral-bound prayer journal, Praying for God’s Promises. Rachel is crazy about her husband, Matt, and cherishes motherhood with six children on earth and two in heaven.
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Many sincere believers experience seasons when their prayers feel empty, their Bibles feel silent, and God feels mysteriously absent. Especially for leaders, these seasons can feel confusing, discouraging, and even embarrassing.
In this episode of the Unhurried Living podcast, Alan Fadling sits down with theologian and spiritual formation professor Kyle Strobel to discuss his new book, When God Seems Distant, co-written with John Coe. If this episode helps you focus your work and life on God, follow Unhurried Living on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode.
