Still Around--Please Pray for Me

[seeker37]

Hello All,

I was around about this time last year and I am still around. Unfortunately things have not been going too well for me. I'd have to say I am at one of the lowest points in my life right now. Gotten some rather bad family news, work is extremely stressful (as usual), and recently lost a very good friend. Needless to say, I seem to be drowning in bad news right now and I'm just very sad.

I know I need to pray but can't seem to even start. Does "HELP" work when that's all you can get out?

I just keep putting one foot in front of the other, and am often so mind-numbingly tired I can't even think at the end of a day.

I thank you for the kindnesses you showed me last year. Please pray for me now. I don't seem to remember how to do it myself anymore.

Thank you, and God bless you.

 

[Antony in Tx]

Seeker, I think most of us know how it feels to be in your shoes with regard to not feeling like we can remember how to pray. This is why it is wonderful that Holy Tradition gives us prayers that we can fall back on, like Psalm 51...


Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy steadfast love; according to Thy abundant mercy, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin!
For I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me.
Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in Thy sight, so that Thou art justified in Thy sentence and blameless in Thy judgment.
Behold! I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold! Thou desirest truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Fill me with joy and gladness; let the bones which Thou hast broken rejoice.
Hide Thy face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation and uphold me with a willing Spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways and sinners will return to Thee.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of Thy deliverance.
O Lord, open Thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.
For Thou hast no delight in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, Thou wouldst not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.
Do good to Zion in Thy good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then wilt Thou delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bullocks will be offered on Thy altar.

 

[Macarius]

Hello All,

I was around about this time last year and I am still around. Unfortunately things have not been going too well for me. I'd have to say I am at one of the lowest points in my life right now. Gotten some rather bad family news, work is extremely stressful (as usual), and recently lost a very good friend. Needless to say, I seem to be drowning in bad news right now and I'm just very sad.

Makes total sense that you'd be sad. That much bad news at once cannot be easy to handle.

I know I need to pray but can't seem to even start. Does "HELP" work when that's all you can get out?

Absolutely. You don't even have to use words if that's too much. Just inhale and exhale. God knows what is on your heart. Open your heart to Him and He will, indeed, hear you.

Even Christ, on the Cross itself, cried out to God asking "Why have you forsaken me?" Even God Himself in Christ wept at the tomb of Lazarus. He didn't speak; He just wept.

I thank you for the kindnesses you showed me last year. Please pray for me now. I don't seem to remember how to do it myself anymore.

Let us pray for each other, as best as we can, even if (in both our cases) that prayer consists of just sitting in numb silence before God. When we are broken, really and truly and fully and utterly broken, then we are again clay in the potter's hand. Being broken sucks.

But after Christ cried at the tomb of Lazarus, He raised Lazarus from the dead. And after crying out that God had forsaken Him, Christ redeemed the cosmos in His resurrection.

 

[rusmeister]

 

[MariaRegina]

My prayers.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy.

 

[mercyforall]

May God bless you and keep you and lift up your spirits. Don't forget God knows all and will get you through it. You have my prayers!

 

[Anhelyna]

Seeker

Prayers for you

This time will pass - hang in there

 

[Knee V]

 

[ArmyMatt]

Lord have mercy on you!

to answer your question yes, sometimes we are like Peter, sinking in the sea, and all we can do is cry help.

 

[Dorothea]

Hello All,

I was around about this time last year and I am still around. Unfortunately things have not been going too well for me. I'd have to say I am at one of the lowest points in my life right now. Gotten some rather bad family news, work is extremely stressful (as usual), and recently lost a very good friend. Needless to say, I seem to be drowning in bad news right now and I'm just very sad.

I know I need to pray but can't seem to even start. Does "HELP" work when that's all you can get out?

I just keep putting one foot in front of the other, and am often so mind-numbingly tired I can't even think at the end of a day.

I thank you for the kindnesses you showed me last year. Please pray for me now. I don't seem to remember how to do it myself anymore.

Thank you, and God bless you.

I'm so sorry you're going through all of this, seeker. It's hard to try to think of it as a growing in strength in God, His showing our dependence on Him, and suffering brings about redemption and a stronger faith.

Yes, in praying simply by saying "God, help me," is sufficient in times like these, imo.

I'll be praying for you (just did and will continue to). God be with you.

 

[RKO]

Seeker, I am in similar shoes. Praying for you and hoping you can spare one for me.

 

[katherine2001]

Seeker, you are in my thoughts and prayers. I've been there. If all you can do is say "Lord have mercy" or "help!", that is fine. God knows where you are at. I find it helpful to me to pour out my heart to God when I am feeling like that.

 

[Ariel Gavriel]

Father,
Please have your hand upon seeker37, help her I pray to overcome the circumstances that she faces every day and grant her your peace. I ask this now Father, in Jesus name.

 

[27B6]

...

 

[Ariadne_GR]

Praying for you!

 

[seeker37]

Seeker, I think most of us know how it feels to be in your shoes with regard to not feeling like we can remember how to pray. This is why it is wonderful that Holy Tradition gives us prayers that we can fall back on, like Psalm 51...


Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy steadfast love; according to Thy abundant mercy, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin!
For I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me.
Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in Thy sight, so that Thou art justified in Thy sentence and blameless in Thy judgment.
Behold! I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold! Thou desirest truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Fill me with joy and gladness; let the bones which Thou hast broken rejoice.
Hide Thy face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation and uphold me with a willing Spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways and sinners will return to Thee.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of Thy deliverance.
O Lord, open Thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.
For Thou hast no delight in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, Thou wouldst not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.
Do good to Zion in Thy good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then wilt Thou delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bullocks will be offered on Thy altar.

Thank you. This morning before work I spent some time reading and praying Psalms. I will try to make it my practice to do so each day, I've been rather lax in it lately.

 

[seeker37]

Makes total sense that you'd be sad. That much bad news at once cannot be easy to handle.



Absolutely. You don't even have to use words if that's too much. Just inhale and exhale. God knows what is on your heart. Open your heart to Him and He will, indeed, hear you.

Even Christ, on the Cross itself, cried out to God asking "Why have you forsaken me?" Even God Himself in Christ wept at the tomb of Lazarus. He didn't speak; He just wept.



Let us pray for each other, as best as we can, even if (in both our cases) that prayer consists of just sitting in numb silence before God. When we are broken, really and truly and fully and utterly broken, then we are again clay in the potter's hand. Being broken sucks.

But after Christ cried at the tomb of Lazarus, He raised Lazarus from the dead. And after crying out that God had forsaken Him, Christ redeemed the cosmos in His resurrection.

Thank you for your thoughts, and God bless you. I am listening, even though sometimes it seems like God needs to whack me over the head with a two by four to get things to sink in!!

God bless, and again, thank you.

 

[seeker37]

Lord have mercy on you!

to answer your question yes, sometimes we are like Peter, sinking in the sea, and all we can do is cry help.

Thank you for your prayers. I've uttered a few "helps" over the last few days. Though I wouldn't say I'm totally out of the woods, I do feel as though I'm getting my footing back.

The prayers of all of you here are working. Thank you so much.

 

[seeker37]

I'm so sorry you're going through all of this, seeker. It's hard to try to think of it as a growing in strength in God, His showing our dependence on Him, and suffering brings about redemption and a stronger faith.

Yes, in praying simply by saying "God, help me," is sufficient in times like these, imo.

I'll be praying for you (just did and will continue to). God be with you.

Thank you so much, Dorothea. My prayers for you and your family as well. As I have said above, the prayers of the wonderful people here have warmed my heart. God bless all of you.

 

[seeker37]

Seeker, I am in similar shoes. Praying for you and hoping you can spare one for me.

May God grant you peace and a solution to the issues which trouble you. God bless.