Stuck in hurt?: Pray immediately

STUCK in hurt? Don’t let prayer be your last resort

By Bradley Shotts

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:37-39

(I am praying that this article will give the reader encouragement and the knowledge that even though their situation may seem hopeless, there is always great HOPE and deliverance with God – no matter what they are facing!)

There is probably nothing worse than having to endure continual hurt by the hand of another. You feel completely helpless. Nothing you do or say makes it better and it just sits there inside of you to never go away, or so it seems. Nothing hurts worse than to know that someone has made it their life’s ambition to hurt you any way they possibly can. Sadly, this happens quite often. It is a mystery to me why some people choose to live their lives to hurt others. I have seen families literally torn apart, lives ruined, and years of resentment that make it impossible to live happy and productive lives. I know several families who have had to endure such pain and loss. No matter what they say or do, nothing gets resolved, and attempts of reconciliation fall on deaf ears and closed, hardened hearts.

We have all fallen victim to hurt feelings, but for some this is a way of life, day in and day out. Those who have the misfortune to experience this kind of deep hurt go to sleep with this on their minds and it is the first thing they think about when they wake up.

What do you do when you have exhausted everything to right a wrong? Let’s take a look at God’s Word and see how those before us handled their anxiety, worries and times of trouble.

David is a great example. David faced great peril numerous times in his life. He faced the Philistine’s greatest warrior, Goliath, standing alone with his life hanging in the balance. Later in life he had to run for his life from King Saul, narrowly escaping death on numerous occasions.

I think of young Joseph, his brothers hating him so much from jealousy that they did the unthinkable – they sold him into slavery, then telling their father that he had been killed by a wild animal. Poor Joseph’s hardships unfortunately were just beginning, having to spend years in prison after being falsely accused of rape. There are so many other examples in God’s Word: Job, Daniel and, most of all, our Savior and our Lord, Jesus. Jesus did nothing to anyone, yet he was hated by most. In the end, Jesus suffered more than any human in history, and never once raised His hand or voice in retaliation to defend Himself.

All these great men of God and Jesus did one thing that made all the difference in their darkest hour. They prayed… So many times, we turn to prayer as the last resort, when in reality, prayer should be the very first thing that we do. Prayer calls upon God to come to our side. Prayer summons the presence of God; it immediately unlocks God’s mighty wisdom to us and His power to infiltrate and completely bring calm and control to our chaos. Prayer is our lifeline.

Because of prayer, David was able to sling a small stone to bring down the giant, Goliath, and the entire Philistine army. Because of prayer, Joseph was raised as the second in command of all the land, having tremendous power over his enemies. Prayer is how Job and Daniel were blessed and protected. It was the prayers of Jesus to God the Father in the Garden that prepared Him to be able to withstand the weight of the world on His shoulders, bringing salvation to all mankind.

Prayer is the game-changer that is going to make the difference for you as well!

Often, situations and hardships that we face are humanly impossible for us to resolve. Honestly, I think it is God’s design that we cannot solve all of our problems, thus making us realize just how much we do need Him in our lives. It is important to realize that God is not there just to save us when we face difficulty. God desires – and we should all desire – a daily intimate walk with Him. David certainly walked with God daily, along with Job, Daniel, and so many others in God’s Word. They all cultivated and held dear their close relationship with our Lord. The fulfilled, blessed, and prosperous life you desire only comes with a close daily relationship with Jesus Christ. No person or anything of this world will ever give you what your heart desires. Only Jesus can do that.

No matter what you are currently facing, nothing is too big or too small for God. Never underestimate God’s power and the power of prayer. If you have been praying and have already given your situation over to God, continue being faithful and know that God is working. Do not become discouraged. Pray for those who have wronged you and begin thanking God for the answers that are coming.

“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our LORD Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 15:57 n

Bradley Shotts began his ministry in the funeral industry in 1988 at Lloyd James Funeral Home in Tyler, Texas. He currently serves as a director at Slay Memorial Funeral Center in Aubrey, Texas. He and his wife Amy live in Bedford, Texas. They have two adult children, Blaine and Braylee, and one grandson. Bradley is a member of Rotary International and enjoys serving in his community. As God directs, he enjoys singing and speaking. He is an ordained minister and loves being used of God.

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