When you don't know what to pray for, or you feel too overwhelmed to ask...

7/29/2024 | vanity

[ransomnote]

When you don't know what to pray for, or you feel too overwhelmed to ask...

Years ago, a Christian radio station had a suggestion about how to pray when you don’t know what to pray for. They said ‘just say the name of the Lord, Jesus, over and over again. He knows what you need.’

Frankly I didn’t like the idea at first; I kind of rebelled when our pastor once said something similar (e.g., power in His name, monks would whisper His name while sweeping the floor or performing other mundane tasks). I didn’t like it because it sounded rote, or unthinking.

BUT, at a time I was so stressed out at work I couldn’t climb three steps because my shoes would fall off in full view of the Board of Directors, because I was so anxious my feet were sweating, I decided to try it on my commute to work.

I just kept softly saying ‘Jesus,’ sometimes aloud and sometimes silently to myself, as I drove. My mind would try to multi-task (worry, pray and drive at the same time), but I just kept returning to the task of saying His name when I caught myself worrying. When I arrived to work 20 minutes later, I was incredibly calm and composed (and I could climb stairs!).

In his last days, Freeper bagster was struggling with pain. We were about to hang up the phone for the night, and sleep was far away from him because of the pain. He sounded depressed that hours of struggle lay ahead and he could only hope for exhausted sleep eventually.

I told him I knew how he felt about the ‘god stuff’ I talk about, but that he really needed relief and there was something I tried that helps me. I told him what I learned about the power of the name of the Lord, and asked him to try it. I explained how my mind kept wandering the first time I tried it, and advised him, “You don’t have to be particularly reverent. He understands. Just try to return to saying His name when your mind wanders.”

The next time we spoke, he made a point of telling me that he tried it, and it worked. I think we were both relieved to know there was comfort for him when medicine is not enough.

I just wanted to pass this along, because we never know when we'll need it.

A few people added the following insights:

In the General/Chat forum, Melian wrote:

There is a beautiful hymn that has a similar effect on me:

https://youtu.be/r6tVReXsioM?si=tOP0A1LBrGxMNCO2

Just the words of the repentant thief over and over.

In the General/Chat forum, tang-soo wrote:

Observant Jewish people never say the name of God even if they know how to pronounce it, as they don’t. YHVH has vowels added and is pronounced as Yahweh, Yahveh, or more commonly, Jehovah. They also use “Adoni” which means “LORD”.

To the point of your note regarding relief for Bagster, they frequently address God as “Ha-Shem”, which simply means, “The Name.”

In the General/Chat forum, USMC79to83 wrote:

It brings tears when I pause to think about how good God is to us. Thank you for the reminder!

In the General/Chat forum, Bigg Red wrote:

I hear a version of this: Say the name “Jesus” as you inhale and exhale with a word representing whatever is distressing you.

God bless you.

 

[Faith65]

He knows our needs better than we ever will.

---

THIS! Exactly. Amen!

[DIRTYSECRET]

God doesn’t give a damn who wins in November-spare me.

[definitelynotaliberal]

Thou art coming to a King, Large petitions with thee bring, For His grace and pow’r are such, None can ever ask too much.

[Jane Long]

Romans 8:26-28 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)

For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

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AMEN!!

[Jane Long]

???

What did Faith’s post have to do with November???

And, who are YOU to know what God cares about/doesn’t care about, regardless??

Very rude and strange post.

[Jim W N]

Responsibility 2nd posted: “the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words”.

That is true.

However, you may not agree that is talking about that is referring to praying in the Spirit AKA praying in tongues and/or that it works very well.

[combat_boots]

Amen

[Scrambler Bob]

I’ve been thinking about this, and maybe this will help, particularly V9 and following:

Matthew 6:5-15
King James Version
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

[Scrambler Bob]

that is referring to praying in the Spirit AKA praying in tongues and/or that it works very well.
= = =

Yeah, the human brain is bypassed, it does not interfere, a Believer’s Spirit, straignt to God’s Spirit.

[Responsibility2nd]

However, you may not agree that is talking about that is referring to praying in the Spirit AKA praying in tongues and/or that it works very well.

____________________________________

Please rephrase. In English please.

[chajin]

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

I fully accept this, but it is not the same as calling on the name of the Lord.

In Japan, millions practice Pure Land Buddhism. They believe that if they incessantly chant "namu Amida Butsu" ("praise Amitabha Buddha"), then Amitabha will, upon their death, take them out of the cycle of karma into the Western Pure Land, where they will be able to easily obtain nirvana. That is the kind of "vain repetitions" to which Jesus is referring.

A one-word prayer is as powerful as an all-night prayer, because the power of prayer is in God and not in us.

And one more example. In Daniel 10, Daniel began fasting and praying for three weeks, when he finally receives an answer to his prayer, from a heavenly messenger--except that the messenger says, "from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words." Someone who can only pray the name of the Lord has his/her prayer answered the first time the name is spoken, even if it takes 20 minutes, or three weeks, to have that answer manifest.

In short, this is not vain repetition, not expecting to be heard because of all the speaking, but knowing by faith that the prayer is answered at the beginning, but waiting and speaking until the faith becomes sight.

[Flaming Conservative]

Got Questions, while claiming to be nondenominational, is Calvinist in their theology. Here is Got Questions belief on the Holy Spirit:
We believe that the Holy Spirit is ultimately sovereign in the distribution of spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:11). We believe that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, while by no means outside of the Spirit’s ability to empower, no longer function in exactly the same manner they did in the early development of the church (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 2:20; 4:7-12).

[Cold Heart]

When my wife had her stroke she could not speak or even think clearly. Later she told me she tried to pray but the words in her mind were jumbled and she couldn’t. She then felt a calm of grace sweep over her and she felt the holy spirit pray for her as in Romans.

[Responsibility2nd]

Calvinistic?

Their backing up the facts on praying in tongues with Bible verses and not opinions is Calvinistic?

[SaxxonWoods]

I pray for “everything good for everyone”.

[Clutch Martin]

“God doesn’t give a damn who wins in November-spare me.”

Is it me or does Herod get elected alot.

[Polyxene]

When my daughter died, the only thing I could pray was my tagline.

[Lizavetta]

The pain never leaves us, does it?

I'm glad you have faith to help you.

[Olog-hai]

With all due respect, you’re contradicting yourself. Not to mention, you haven’t made it clear what perspective you’re speaking from.

[Olog-hai]

Think about what Daniel 4:17 says.