Are you so weary and brain-fogged you can't find the words to pray?

When my fibromyalgia was at its worst, I had many days of struggling to form thoughts that described my feelings, my thanksgiving and my worship.  My brain fog was so debilitating that for the most part I couldn’t form any prayers. I felt guilty that my fatigued robbed me of any desire to talk to God. Emotionally I was drained and I felt spiritually dead. The following prayers are some of the prayers I prayed during the many years of struggling with fibromyalgia. The Scripture references are a few of those that inspired, uplifted, comforted and encouraged me as I fellowshipped with God. I share this in hopes that it will bring you comfort and encouragement as you use them while seeking to pour your heart out to God. David poured out his feelings and so can we! How wonderful that I can approach God, no matter how I feel, through Jesus Christ. What a wonderful Savior I have! He has provided a means for me to approach Almighty God!

                                                                                                   ------ Carol Hetler 

 FEELING ABANDONED

 I hurt all over, Lord. I feel so alone in my suffering. I’m having a hard time believing that You love me. My faith in Your promises is weak today. It’s easier to believe my feelings; I feel rejected by You and abandoned. Your promises to me say different, so I ask You, Lord, help my unbelief. You, my Faithful and Just God never lie and so I choose to believe what Your Word says. Surround me with Your presence today. Impress upon my mind Your love for me. Relieve my loneliness with a sense of Your presence and Your love for me. Ps. 31:7; 32:10; 36: 5-9; 55:22; 117:2; 119:76; 159:13-18, Rom. 5:8; 8:38,39, Eph. 2:4,5

The difficult circumstance that You’ve brought into my life feels more like I’m in a war...all alone. All the changes in my life, be it physical, emotional, mental, social or spiritual, create struggles for me every day. Each one seems like a giant that I have to fight. Remind me, by Your Spirit, that each time a struggle arises in one of these areas, You are by my side. You will guide me and strengthen me. Remind me that I’m not alone in my fight for peace of mind. I ask You to give me wisdom to know how to deal with each struggle that may crop up. Dt. 20:1, Josh.1:9, Ps. 16:8; 18:28-36,39; 55:16-18; 118:8,9,  Prov. 21:31  

Father, You seem hidden from me. I can’t feel Your presence or guidance. Is it my brain fog that makes me feel this way? Or are You staying quiet and hidden for a reason? Give me the strength and courage to choose to believe that You are aware of how I’m doing and You do love me very much. Help me to believe that You’re really in control of my life even though everything seems so out of control. Help me to quietly trust in Your promises and Your Word, even thought I feel abandoned by You. Ps. 13; 22; 31:22 

MY FRUSTRATION/ANGER

Father, it’s me again. I’ve come to tell You that I’m angry. I’m angry that I have a disease that robs me of having a normal life. I’m angry that You’ve allowed me to inherit this disease. Why me? Today once again, it brought me humiliation. I’m so angry with insensitive, uncaring people. I’m so weary of dealing with a chronic illness. I screamed out my anger in the shower today. I know You heard me. Thank You for understanding and forgiving me for being so angry with You and Your plans for me. Thank You for loving me in spite of my angry and rebellious feelings. Your boundless and never-ending love and mercy are so profound my human mind can’t begin to grasp it. Ps. 56:8; 57: 1-10; 142:1-7; Rom. 5:5, 8, Eph. 1:7-Col. 2:14  

God you created me and know my fragility. How frustrated can I get without going insane? How frustrated can I get without going off the deep end? My emotions are so unpredictable it makes me feel like my hormonal system is on a seesaw. How long will this go on? It’s hard to believe that You still accept me and love me when I feel so ugly inside. What a wonderful God you are. You’re unchanging, which means that nothing stops or changes Your love for me, not even my thoughts or my behavior. You see me as perfect through Christ’s blood. What a wonderful Savior I have. By Your Spirit, remind me of this when my brain fog is so bad and I feel so unlovable inside because my emotions so volatile. Num. 23:19, I Cor. 1:30; Rom. 3:20-25a; Heb. 6:17, 18; 10:10; 13:5, 6, 8, Jas. 1:17  

Heavenly Father, lately I feel unworthy to enter Your presence. Coping with fibromyalgia gives rise to feelings that seem foreign to me. Yet, I must accept them as part of me---ugliness that comes from my sin nature. Your Word says that Jesus Christ is my High Priest who intercedes on my behalf. And that because He was tempted in every way, just as I am, He is able to understand and empathize with the struggles I’m having with angry, anxiety, depression, distrust in God’s Word and so many other ungodly emotions and thoughts. There’s no record that Jesus ever had to cope with a chronic illness. However, because You never lie, I will choose to believe that even though Jesus most likely never had fibromyalgia, he was also tempted just as I am to be angry, irritated, doubtful, selfish and self-giving, etc. You know what I’m dealing with. Thank You for being a God who is merciful and long-suffering. Ps. 78: 38, 39; 103:8-14; Heb. 4:13-16

ACCEPTANCE OF MY DISEASE

 Lord, I ask you for extra grace today. Give me patience with my disease. Help me to accept it and submit to Your plans for my life. This isn’t what I would have chosen. Nevertheless, I will choose to believe that You have my best interest at heart---so this is the best thing for me. Help me to ignore my feelings and believe what Your word says. "Had any other condition been better for you than the one in which you find yourself, Divine love would have placed you there." (Spurgeon) Lord, I ask you to cement this truth in my heart. 

Heavenly Father, today I feel as though I can’t handle one more day of suffering. Year after year of struggling to stay above the waters has worn down my will to persevere. Why can’t You heal me? I know You can if You so choose to do so. Am I not worth the effort? I can’t quit feeling sorry for myself. I can’t seem to rise above my self-pity. I know in my head that no matter the circumstances You allow in my life, self-pity—feeling sorry for myself, is sin. Take this head knowledge and put it in my heart. Thank you for Your forgiveness. Help me, God, to see my life and trials through Your eyes. Help me to have the right perspective about my life and everything around me. Rom. 8: 28, 29; 12:2, II Cor. 1: 8-10   

God my Creator, strengthen my will to live. Give me patience and the courage to persevere. You have faithfully done this for me in days gone by. Help me to keep going down the road that You have chosen for me. Ps. 31:14; 42:11 

Heavenly Father, You’re my Creator and know all things about me. You know how disillusioned I feel deep inside. Even though I can’t feel your presence, I ask you to refresh my soul by Your Spirit. Give me a reason to live. Give me a reason to be excited about the life you have given me. Help me to glorify Your name through my trials. Give me the will-power to take my eyes off of myself. Open my eyes so that I may see my suffering through Your eyes. Give me Your love for others and open my eyes to their needs. Ps. 139:23, 24 

Father, you tell us to be thankful in all things and to rejoice over all things. I don’t feel thankful for this disease. And I’m not experiencing any joy right now. I know I should ask You to change my mind in this area, but I’m not done feeling sorry for myself. 

It’s me again, Heavenly Father. Okay, I’m ready for You to change my mind about my trials and tribulations. Feeling sorry for myself isn't getting me anywhere, just more depressed. Please work in my heart that I may see things from your point of view. Fill my heart with thanksgiving and joy. By Your Spirit, empower me to be thankful out of obedience to you, whether I feel thankful or not. Give me the courage to focus on other things and the strength to do what you’re leading me to do so that I can fill my mind with that instead of me.  

Heavenly Father, it’s so difficult to live with this disease, especially when it has gone on year after year. I’m so weary of being bitter instead of joyful; angry and self-preoccupied instead of peaceful; irritated and having a demanding spirit instead of  demonstrating patience and long-suffering; self-absorbed instead of kind. I have so little energy with this disease; it’s difficult to care about others. I can’t live with this disease and have a good attitude except by Your Spirit living through me. Help me to not grow weary of dealing with sin so that You can continue to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in my heart. Gal. 2:20; 5:16-25; 6:9, Eph. 4:22-24, 5 

A CRY FOR HELP

This trial You have given me is relentlessly difficult. Help me to grow in grace and in the knowledge of all Your attributes through this difficulty. Keep me from becoming bitter and rebellious. Ps. 16:5-11, II Pet. 3:18

Your Word says that “No temptation has come my way that is too hard for flesh and blood to bear. That You can be trusted not to allow me to suffer any temptation beyond my power of endurance.” I Cor 10:13 (Phillips) Yet, I’m having a very difficult time understanding that and believing that this is really true. Help me, Oh God to trust Your wisdom and faithfulness in proportioning my burden to my strength. You created me and know what I can bear. Give me the grace I need to grapple with the burden you have given me. Ps. 18:1-6, 16-19 

Heavenly Father, I feel troubled and overcome by this burden. I plead with you to help me rely on Your love and care so as not to be overcome by this burden. Inspire me God to trust you! Jer. 32: 27, 40, Jn. 14:1, II Cor. 1:8-10, Phil. 4:19 

Oh Lord my God, help me! I don’t want to see anyone or talk to anyone. I feel numb inside. You command me to love others, yet I have this overwhelming need to withdraw from everyone. I can’t compute what others say to me. I forget what I was going to say. Father God, give me peace that it’s okay to withdraw from others. Give me wisdom to know on which relationships I should expend the little energy I do have. Help me to walk in obedience to You so that I will become a useful vessel that allows Your love to flow out to others. Phil. 2: 3-5, I Jn. 2:5 II Jn. 6  

Lord of my life, I can’t bear the physical, emotional and mental anguish that comes with the burden You have given me. No one understands what I’m going through. Help me, Oh God, to accept that only You understand and are aware of what I’m going through. Help me not to react selfishly to the insensitive comments made by family and friends. Heavenly Father, the Giver of all things I need, please surround me with Your presence at this moment. I feel so alone and unloved. Cleanse my heart of self-pity and fill it with Your love and joy. 

Remind me, Oh God, by Your Spirit to call on You for help. My brain fog renders me useless to even remember to ask You for help. Help me to realize my dependence on You for everything I need to get me through each day. 

Heavenly Father, revive my inner spirit and heart while you humble me with this burden. Give me courage and strength to submit to Your control because this will ease my worry and anxiety.  Eph. 3:16; 6:10, I Pet. 6, 7 

At times, Oh God, this burden is more than I can bear let alone deal with the weeds that the suffering reveals in the garden of my heart. Oh God, help me not to resist Your Spirit’s revelation of sin in my life. Give me strength to dig up the weeds. Help me to be obedient, God, as Your Spirit reveals sin and then empowers me to walk is such a way that glorifies You. Gal. 2:20, Gal. 5  

Heavenly Father, in spite of the ugliness of my heart, You love me. I don’t know why, but Your Word says that You do. At times, my self-pity and impatience with this disease overwhelm me. Before I realize it, anger and bitterness have crept in and after several days, I realize that they have flourished and robbed me of the peace and joy that Your Spirit gives me. Work in my heart so that I will display the fruit of the Spirit in spite of the heavy burden I carry. Give me strength to react in a godly manner as I live with this trial and seek to walk with You. Jn. 14: 10,13-17; 15:1-8, Gal. 6:15, 16, Eph. 2:10; 4:1-3, Eph. 5 

Help me, Oh God I pray, to believe that this trial You have allowed into my life is for my good. Rom. 8:28, 29, Phil 1:19,

Lord God, teach me to be content in this horrible circumstance I find myself. In the midst of this difficult trial, help me to realize my dependence on You and to put into practice my dependence on You since this will give me the joy I seek. Ps. 37, Phil. 4:4-7, 11-13  

Heavenly Father You so created me that Your presence is indispensable to my being, teaching my mind, controlling my emotions, directing my will and governing my behavior. Help me to humble myself and continually depend on You so that You can be essential in my life just as You planned when You created me. Remind me when I’m relying on my self and not You. Ps. 27:1, Jn. 5:19,30,  II Cor. 9:8,

PLEASE WATCH OVER ME

Father, I’ve come to ask You to pay careful attention to me today. I have terrible brain fog and I’m so afraid that I’m going to forget something and have a disastrous consequence, like burn the house down or leave my purse somewhere...I know your eye is always on me. I know that You know exactly when each sparrow falls to the ground (Mt.10:29, 31) ---how much more is your eye on me, Your child. The problem is that most of the time I feel like I have less value than the sparrows. At least they have a purpose. I seem to have none. Thank you for watching over me regardless of how I feel. Ps. 121  

DEPRESSION

Heavenly Father, I don’t fully understand the root of my depression. Give me wisdom to know the difference between depression that stems from a physical problem and depression that stems from dissatisfaction with my life. By Your Spirit, open my eyes that I can see what I’ve been striving for that is now out of my reach. Help me to see what my real motives have been in life. Help me to see what needs to change so that I may bring glory, not to myself, but to You, Oh God, my Lord and Savior. Prov. 16:2; 20:5; 21:2, Heb.4:12

I feel so afraid today. I’m depressed about being so depressed. I can’t seem to rise above the waters that seek to pull me down deep into a dark place where I can no longer breather or think. Help me through this dark day. Keep me from doing something to end my misery. Ps.18:16; 30:1a; 55:22; 56:3, 4; 57:1; 143:4, Isa. 43:2,5a

A TESTING OF DELAY

Heavenly Father, You hear my crying and my sobbing. I can’t seem to stop. You allowed this trial into my life for my benefit. You created me, and You know that I will feel all the emotions that arise from this difficult circumstance. Thank You for understanding that my weeping doesn’t mean I’m not trusting in your love and goodness to get me through this dark valley. It simply means I’m letting myself feel my emotions...Thank you for humbling Yourself to take on the form of a man. Thank you for leaving a record of the emotions you felt as a man. This comforts me. Ps. 6:6-9; 31:7; 42:3; 56:8,13, Eccl. 3:4, Jn. 11:33, 35,

Father, I so want things to be as they once were. Help me to accept the plans that You now have for me. By Your Spirit, create in me a humble spirit, so that I can submit to Your sovereign control in my life. Ps. 138:8, Prov.19:21; 20:24, Col 1:16 

Like Job, I grow impatient with this disease. “Why? Why me? What did I do to deserve this living hell?” I know You are Almighty God and that You created me. But in the midst of my pain and suffering, all I can think about is me and I don’t care that in my pride I, like Job, have the audacity to question You, the Potter. Oh God, open my eyes as You did for Job and help me see You in all Your supreme power and majestic glory! Job 3; 6:1-3; 23; 38-42:6 

TRIALS FOR MY GOOD

Heavenly Father, the trials you have sent my way are opening my eyes. I see how proud and self-sufficient I’ve been in thinking that I had my life all under control. I’ve been trusting in my own flesh; in my strengths and abilities. I have desperately been seeking my own success hoping it would give me self-worth and significance. Oh, God full of mercy, forgive my proud and rebellious spirit. Only You can give me the right perspective on how to view myself in light of Your creation and Your plans for me. You created me for Your glory! I Sam.16:7, Ps. 10:4-6; 33:13-22, Prov. 28:26, Isa. 31:1, 43:7; 55: 8,9

ANXIETY 

Father, You who are faithfully by my side and help me in all things. I come asking you to help me, by Your Spirit, not to fret or worry. I know that feeling anxious comes with this disease. Help me not to let these feelings become reality in my mind and control my behavior. Give me the strength to read Your Word because time spent in Your Word dispels much of my anxiety. Give me clarity of mind so that I can absorb the truth that lies within it’s pages. Ps. 37:1-7; 119, Mt. 6:25-34   

DIFFICULTY TRUSTING GOD 

Dear God, help my unbelief. Help me, by Your Spirit, to trust You for strength to get through this day of physical and emotional pain. Ps. 31:24, Isa 30:15, Isa. 33:2 

Dear God, help my unbelief in Your promises of love. I’m struggling with believing that You truly love me and care about what I’m going through. As a parent, I never want my children to hurt, so it’s difficult to believe that You love me when I feel as though You’re allowing me to go through hell here on earth. Does Your love have to be this tough? I read Your Word and know in my head that You love me, but my heart is having a difficult time realizing this truth. Change my heart as only You can, O Lord, my God.

Teach me, O God, the way I should go. Teach me to do Your will. Teach me to trust You. It humbles me that although I’m a mere woman in a vast universe that You created, You love me and care for me. Job 7:17-19, Ps. 8:1-6; 119: 33-37, 59-66; 139:1-18; 143:8, 10; 144:3,4, Heb. 2:6  

Teach me to believe what Your Word says. Strengthen my faith in Your promises and help me to take my eyes off the circumstances that many times seem to contradict what You say. Help me to see life and myself through Your eyes and Your perspective. Ps. 32:10; 36:5-9; Ch. 77; Ch. 91; 118:1-7, Mt. 10:29-31, Phil. 4:7,Heb. 13, 5,9,10 

THANKSGIVING 

Thank you, God, for saving me from the waters that were closing over my head. Thank you for lifting me out of the pit of depression. I will praise Your name all my days. I love You, O Lord, my strength. Ps. 18:16, Ps. 30:1, Ps. 40:1-3, Lam. 3:52-57

Your love for me is so big and so generous that nothing can stop it or separate me from Your love, thank you Heavenly Father. Not my thoughts, not my ungodly reactions to my suffering and circumstances, or my unbelief. Nothing! Yes, sin cuts off my fellowship with You, but even sin can’t change my position as Your child where nothing can separate me from Your love. Rom. 8:35-39, I Jn. 1:5-2:2; 3:1  

Thank You for being my Constant Friend and Lord of my life. Thank you for faithfully guiding me through this dark valley. Ps. 23:4; 25:12, Isa. 30:21 

Lord Jesus, thank You for understanding me and for being my constant and faithful intercessor. Father, thank You for the grace You will give me in my time of need. Thank you that You promise to give me everything I need for life and godliness. Thank you that You will make this promise a reality in my life as I submit and walk in Your ways. II Cor. 12:7-10, II Pet. 1:2-4 

Thank you God for being the great I AM. Thank you for never being less than adequate. I thank you that You will continue to meet my needs. 

My heart rejoices in You for You’re my Rock when I’m tired and confused. You’re my Shade and Refreshment during the depressing and dreary times. You’re the Sanctuary I seek to shelter me from the storms that threaten to overwhelm. II Sam. 22:29- 34, Ps. 18:1, 2; 121:5 

My heart is continually amazed at Your enduring and unconditional love for me no matter how I feel. It gives me strength to deal with the guilt, anger, self-pity and rebellious feelings.

Thank you God for being my Physician who brings me answers when I need them. Thank you for being my Shepherd who guides and protects me, my Champion who intercedes on my behalf and upholds my cause. Thank you for being my bridegroom who delights in me, your bride. Ps. 27:5; 71:3; 91: 1-4; 138:8

HOPE 

Give me clarity of mind and strength, dear Lord, to read Your Word because this is the only thing that gives me hope and strength to get through each day. Ps. 119:130

Thank You for preserving the Bible down through the ages. As I read what’s been recorded in its pages, I continually find that Your Word gives me hope. I’m blessed to be in a country where I can read it daily and freely. It is the root of all my hope, peace, tranquility, guidance and the renewal of my mind. Thank You! Ps. 119: 81, 97-105, 11-114; 149:10, 11 

Remind me by Your Spirit that happiness (true happiness) is found in my hope in Christ! (Rom. 12:12) To hope simply means believing that You mean what You have promised me; that You’re absolutely reliable and trustworthy. Even though my life may seem to deny what You have promised, I must still believe. Even though I sometimes can't see You because my circumstances don't reflect Your love, presence, etc., I must still have faith that You are there. And even though they seem to contradict Your promises, making them seem impossible, I must still trust You. Hope means depending on You to come through with all You’ve promised me as Your child. Hope means relying on Your immutability!

Amen!

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