A Prayer for Our Spiritually Distressed Friends

     Gracious Father, these are some pretty raw words directed at you by one of your hand picked prophets. It’s obvious Jeremiah was in a great deal of pain as he called you a deceiver—the strong one responsible for his sorrow and shame. It’s also obvious that you are a patient and kind God.

     And to think, the same prophet who assured others of your gracious promise and good plan—a plan for prosperity, not harm (Jer. 29:11); the same prophet who gave us a vision of the glory and the grace of the new covenant (Jer. 31:31-34); this same prophet, like us, experienced seasons in which he felt deceived, betrayed, and abandoned, even grieving the day he was born. We’re all weak and broken. We all need the gospel, constantly.

     Jeremiah’s honest lament makes me thankful today for the freedom you give us to bring our raw feelings to you as well. You’re the only one with whom we don’t have to pose or pretend about anything. Because if we don’t bring our painful emotions to you, we will take them somewhere. Somebody will feel the brunt of our anguish and anger. Stuffing and dumping these feelings always brings destructive consequences. So grant us good gospel freedom as we come before you today.

     Heavenly Father, only you have the big enough heart, deep enough wisdom and broad enough shoulders to walk with us through the chaotic and conflicted seasons of life. We praise you for the constancy of your welcome. If you weren’t not “put off” by Jeremiah’s struggle, surely you’ll take on ours as well.

     This gives me courage as I seek to steward my own conflicted feelings. But today it gives me compassion as I pray for a few friends who are feeling exactly what Jeremiah felt.

     For the friend I sat with yesterday who’s feeling set up, chewed up, and spit out by you. Nothing in her life feels “safe” right now—family, work, health, church. She loves you, but she feels abandoned by you. She knows better, but she’s growing more and more bitter. Show us how to care for her well.

     For a friend whose spiritual melancholia is spiraling to an even darker place, Father, give me wisdom to care for him. I can’t tell what’s purely physical, extended pity party, or, perhaps, to some degree demonic.  Show us how to care for him well.

     For the young woman transplanted from one geographic state to another, and as a result, transformed from one emotional state of happiness to another of great despair. Grant her parents patience, wisdom and hope. And grant this young woman a profound sense of your presence, welcome and freedom to process her great sense of loss and anger.

     Help me, Lord, and heal my friends. Meet us as you met Jeremiah—with the promise and provision of new covenant grace.  So very Amen I pray, in Jesus’ strong and loving name.