“I am just going to pray.”

I am slowly but surely learning to say—and do—this whenever I face stressful situations. But it isn’t an easy lesson to learn at all.

The thing is, I keep resorting to my default response—which is to mull over a stressful situation, vent to friends online and offline, complain to my husband, set about researching whatever can be researched . . . and rinse and repeat, oh, at least seven times.

And after all that, I usually still don’t know what to do.

This is because a lot of times, the situation is stressful mainly because it is something beyond my capability or out of my control. So, no matter how much I vent, complain, or research, I cannot change the outcome. Instead, I am left helpless and frustrated.

Help! How Do I Pray for My Children?

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I Am Just Going to Pray about It

I’ve long come to realise, however, that worrying and running around like a headless chicken brings nothing to the table. In fact, in my case, stress and worry cause the eczema patch on my ankle to itch terribly, or cause me to eat all the chocolate in the house (this is why there is seldom chocolate in the house).

This is not surprising; after all, there are countless studies that tell us that psychological stress leads to a physical manifestation of physical illnesses, ranging from stomach aches to migraines.

I’m learning to make this my first response to any stressful situation—not the last, and not only after venting and stressing about it.

What I need to do, therefore, is to surrender my stress to the Lord.

And so, slowly, but surely, I am learning that my response should be: “I am just going to pray about it.”

I’m learning to make this my first response to any stressful situation—not the last, and not only after venting and stressing about it.

The Peace of God

“I am just going to pray” is a biblical response. It’s not a cop-out—in fact, it is the secret to a life of peace.

Just consider what Paul instructs the Philippians:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything
by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,
let your requests be made known to God;
and the peace of God, which surpasses
all understanding, will guard your hearts
and minds through Christ Jesus.
— Philippians 4:6–7 (NKJV)

We are to be anxious for nothing. Instead, we are to bring everything to the Lord in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Everything. Big. Small. Current. Past.

Many times, when I remember to pray instead of worrying over a situation, I have experienced His peace flooding over me. Because I am praying to the God of peace (v. 9).

Too Simplistic?

While it may sound simple, simple does not always mean it’s easy. Just praying is a simple piece of advice, and it may even sound super-spiritual. But, have you tried just praying when you are flustered and worried about something? 

We need to discipline our minds and hearts to calm down and trust that God knows what is happening.

I don’t know about you, but in my case, the default fight or flight response always kicks in, and the last thing I would think of doing is to just pray.

If you are like me, then we need to discipline our minds and hearts to calm down and trust that God knows what is happening. Only then will we be able to just pray.

Give Thanks

Regardless of the situation we find ourselves in, we can surrender it to the Lord in prayer. And give thanks. 

We may not like the situation we find ourselves in. But we can still thank Him for the situation, because it is drawing us closer to Him.

We can still thank Him for the situation, because it is drawing us closer to Him.

We can thank Him for the opportunity to pray over the person or environment that is causing stress. We can thank Him for using the situation to transform us to be more and more like Jesus. And we can thank Him for the other situations in our lives that are not giving us the same kind of stress.

What Do We Pray For?

Sometimes, I pray for a change in my situation, and for wisdom to know if I should keep pushing through in a difficult situation, or walk away. Other times, I ask the Lord to direct me to the right person or organisation that can help me.

Most times, I pray for the Lord to help me see people through His eyes, and for Him to change the hardness of my heart.

Whatever the Lord lays upon my heart, I give it all to Him in prayer. It is not automatic at all; I am still learning to do this. And that’s why I have Philippians 4:6–7 as a reminder on my phone’s wallpaper. 

If you’re feeling anxious about something or someone, try remembering Philippians 4:6–7.

If you’re feeling anxious about something or someone, try remembering Philippians 4:6–7. For example, you could set it up as a wallpaper on your phone like I did, or copy it down and stick it where you spend the most time.

Our days ahead are filled with much uncertainty, and it can be stressful trying to plan ahead when we can’t see clearly. 

That’s when we can hang on to this thought—“I am just going to pray”—and pray as Jesus did: “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:3).

This article was originally published in www.buildingupmoms.com.
Adapted with permission.