A Prayer For Overwhelm

                                “Rescue me from the mire,  do not let me sink; 
                         deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters. 
                         Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow 
                                   me up or the pit close its mouth over me. 

                            Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love; 

                                          in your great mercy turn to me.”

‭‭                                                 Psalms‬ ‭69‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬ 

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I’ve been praying the same prayers for months. Waiting is not uncommon in my faith journey, though not as common is uttering the same prayers for nearly every burden that I’m carrying. It’s easy for me to feel I haven’t prayed the right way, or used the right words. The old tapes of performance and earning can lead to assumptions that I’m not worthy of the answers.

The truth is that God doesn’t answer us because of anything we do.

He moves in our lives because of who he is. Nothing we do or say merits even an audience with God, much less an answer from him.

But, when we are faithless, he is faithful. He cannot deny himself.

We can ask him to answer out of his goodness and mercy — in the very character of who he is.

Our Good Shepherd says his goodness & mercy will follow us all the days of our lives.

The original Hebrew from Psalm 23 tells us that his provision, blessing, steadfast love, and grace upon grace actually pursues or chases us. Looking at the root words, in the original language, reveals that God’s goodness and mercy actively and relentlessly chase after us, rather than passively following.

While I’m waiting, I’ve got to remind myself to keep asking - to not give up in my prayers. And, I’ve got to tell myself that while it feels quiet, he is acting behalf of those who wait for him (Isaiah 64:4).

In the overwhelm… in the waiting…. I’ll tell my soul to keep asking for rescue, deliverance, and answers.

I’ll borrow the words of King David. I’ll pray for help for my unbelief and for eyes to see and an ability to perceive the goodness and mercy that is ever coming for me.