by Catherine Marshall

“Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:1,2

Why is Prayer so startlingly effective when we admit our helplessness? First, because God insists on our facing up to the true facts of our human situation. Thus we lay under our prayer structure the firm foundation of truth rather than self-delusion or wishful thinking.

This recognition and acknowledgment of our helplessness is also the quickest way to that right attitude which God recognizes as essential to prayer. It deals a mortal blow to the most serious sin of all—man’s independence that ignores God.

Another reason is that we cannot learn first-hand about God—what He is like, His love for us as individuals and His real power—so long as we are relying on ourselves and other people. And fellowship with Jesus is the true purpose of life and the only foundation for eternity. It is real, this daily fellowship which He offers us.

So if your every human plan and calculation has miscarried, if, one by one, human props have been knocked out and doors have shut in your face, take heart. God is trying to get a message through to you, and the message is: “Stop depending on inadequate human resources. Let Me handle the matter.”

Here are three suggestions for presenting Him with the prayer of helplessness.

First, be honest with God. Tell Him that you are aware of the fact that in His eyes you are helpless. Give God permission to make you feel your helplessness at the emotional level, if that’s what He wants. And recognize that this may be painful. There is a good psychological reason as to why this first step is necessary. Unless the power of our emotions is touched, it is as if a fuse remains unlit.

Second, take your heart’s desire to God. You have your helplessness. Now grip with equal equal strength of will your belief that God can do through you what you cannot do. It may seem to you for a time that you are relying on emptiness, dangling over a chasm. Disregard these feelings and quietly thank God that He is working things out.

Third, watch now for opening doors. When the right door opens, you will have a quiet inner assurance that God’s hand is on the knob.

______________

Catherine Marshall, Adventures in Prayer, pp 34,35.

Opening Scripture verse added