7 Scriptures for Praying Difficult Prayers

7 Scriptures for Praying
​Difficult Prayers
Knowing That Nothing is
Impossible for God

How do you pray difficult prayers? God's Word tells us to draw near to His throne of grace with confidence! There, in that wonderful place, we will receive mercy and find grace.

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." ​Hebrews 4:16

What a beautiful promise!!

​Recently, I have been praying some difficult prayers. I pray them though with confidence, knowing that NOTHING is impossible for God!

Today, let's look at 7 passages of Scripture for praying difficult prayers. And let's remember that nothing is impossible for our God! First, we'll look at a passage found in the book of Matthew about the rich, young ruler.

"And behold, a man came up to Him, saying, 'Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?' And He said to him, 'Why do you ask Me about what is good? There is only One who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.' He said to Him, 'Which ones?' And Jesus said, 'You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' The young man said to Him, 'All these I have kept. What do I still lack?' Jesus said to him, 'If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven; and come, follow Me.' When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

And Jesus said to His disciples, 'Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God.' When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, 'Who then can be saved?' But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.' Then Peter said in reply, 'See, we have left everything and followed You. What then will we have?' Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for My name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.'" Matthew 19:16-30

Tucked away in this parable about the rich, young ruler is a simple, but profound truth. This simple truth should impact our prayer life as we pray difficult prayers. "But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'” Matthew 19:26 

​All things are possible with God. Nothing is impossible. It's important for me to remember that when I'm praying difficult prayers. Bringing that to my memory gives me hope!

"But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God," ​John 1:12

When I pray ​difficult prayers, knowing all things are possible for God, this truth is bolstered by John 1:12. The passage speaks of the right we have to become the children of God when we receive Christ and believe in His name. How is that even possible? That is possible because of His sacrificial death on the cross of Calvary followed by His resurrection. He paid a debt I could not pay and conquered death three days later. Nothing is impossible for God!

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." ​Romans 5:1 

​While the world around us may be chaotic, isn't it comforting to know that we can have peace with God? We have peace with Him through our faith in Him and our faith that He accomplishes the impossible? When we have difficult prayers to pray, we must lean on these truths. 

"But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him." ​1 Corinthians 6:17

One spirit with God—the One with whom nothing is impossible! This is who we bring our difficult petitions to. We are one in Him. Come with confidence! ​

"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." ​1 Corinthians 12:27

Just as we are as Christians joined to the Lord—one spirit—we are each an individual member of the body of Christ. Each of us comes to Him with our specific needs, petitions, and difficult prayers. He is the God of the impossible prayer. Come boldly! ​

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight." Ephesians 1:3-8

Ephesians 1:3-8, lists the blessings gained when we come to Christ with difficult prayers.

Look at these 7 things this passage tells us we are:

1. Blessed with every spiritual blessing.
2. Chosen in Him before the foundation of the world.
3. Made holy and blameless before Him because He covered our sin.
4. ​Adopted to Himself as sons (and daughters) through Jesus Christ.
5. Blessed by His glorious grace according to His will.
6. Forgiven of our sin and redeemed through His blood.
7. Lavished upon by His grace with wisdom and insight.

Remember these things when you are praying ​difficult prayers.​

"He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." ​Colossians 1:13-14

Often, difficult prayers turn our gaze from the temporal to the eternal. It is in these times that we are re-focused on the "big picture" of deliverance, redemption, and forgiveness.

We can easily become so wrapped up in the world around us that we forget to take a biblical view. We are delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred to His Kingdom of light. This is made possible because of His Beloved Son in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins. These are eternal truths. These are the truths that put difficult prayers into their proper perspective.

Knowing that we bring our prayers boldly to God with whom nothing is impossible—that is powerful!

How has knowing nothing is impossible for God changed the way you pray difficult prayers?