5 Encouraging Prayers for Difficult Times – Peace in Chaos

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Life is hard and it can sometimes feel like there is never any peace. It’s so hard to keep your head up and pray encouraging prayers when everything around you seems to be falling apart.

You feel like you’re constantly under attack and that God has forgotten about you.

These scriptures will encourage and empower you as you pray for peace in the midst of chaos and can’t find the words.

As you declare these verses over your life, God will begin to work on your behalf.

Read on to learn to have peace in a chaotic world and begin praying encouraging prayers!

In the Midst of Chaos

We live in a crazy, chaotic world! We have busy families, careers, and ministries and many of us struggle with anxiety and stress!

And this past year has had no shortage of chaos in and of itself!

Ensuring we take the time out to really focus on God and allowing Him to calm the storm of our chaotic lives is so vital.

Part of calming that storm is relying on the one who controls the wind and waves and we do that by praying with faith – by praying encouraging prayers.

As I was first writing this post, I was surrounded by boxes and a mess that I didn’t even want to acknowledge.

We were moving in 1 week to our new house and trying to get through “normal” daily responsibilities while packing and having people come in and out of your home to buy the furniture you’ve ‘oh so wisely’ decided to sell is proving to be weighty indeed!

Add to that the flu and chaos was the only word I can use to describe life.

And here I sit today when I am first writing this post and I still feel in the midst of a trying time.

We are in the midst of a pandemic and also a very volatile climate in our country!

In our new home we have been dealing with leaking roofs, falling trees, mice making their way into our old 1880’s foundation (yay that is being taken care of !!), a kid starting college with essentially a full-time job, one starting high school online with VERY little motivation, and me beginning graduate work in Seminary!

I cannot even see straight, let alone try to think straight!

It is at times like this that going to the Word to find encouraging scriptures that will give you the words to pray when you cannot find any is so incredibly needed!

Encouraging Prayers When You Don’t Know What to Pray

Praying the Word is so powerful! It is also a great way to connect your prayers to God’s promises. It allows you to get into agreement with God and what He says about you and your situation.

I know when life tosses me its trials, I sometimes don’t have the words to speak. I feel as though even prayer is too daunting for me.

It is during those times that I allow the Holy Spirit to intercede for me by telling Him I don’t know what to say.

Romans 8:26-27 says:

“Similarly, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we don’t know how to pray the way we should. But the Spirit himself pleads on our behalf with groanings too deep for words; and the one who searches hearts knows exactly what the Spirit is thinking, because his pleadings for God’s people accord with God’s will.”

CJB

I can offer up prayers for peace and for God’s ever-present help in any difficult situation and allow those verses to sink into MY spirit to replace the numerous thoughts that chaos can cause to fly through our minds, seemingly all at once!

You can always find a relevant scripture selection and biblical encouragement for difficult circumstances and even create your own personal daily devotional prayer book from them!

But for the purposes of this article, I will get you started with several verses and then you can continue to add to them.

And they don’t even need to be just for tough times. You can find scriptures for motivational prayer, positive morning prayer to get your day started, daily prayers with your family, or whatever you need!

Praying scripture is a fabulous way to remember God’s grace and build a stronger prayer life as you foster that personal relationship with Him through prayer.

Using Scriptures on Peace and Reliance on God to Pray Encouraging Prayers

So I am going to list out our 5 scriptures so you can find each one and then I will take them one at a time and we will take a deeper dive into them and see how you can use them as inspirational prayers for peace by incorporating them into your prayer time.

What Bible Verses Can I Use for Encouraging Prayers?

• 1 Peter 5:6-7
• Philippians 4:6-7
• Isaiah 40:31
• 2 Corinthians 12:9
• Deuteronomy 31:8

Now let’s have a look at each one:

1 Peter 5:6-7:

“Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that at the right time he may lift you up. Throw all your anxieties upon him, because he cares about you.”

CJB

It is no coincidence that humbling ourselves is mentioned first in these verses and THEN casting our cares on God.

When we think we can handle everything ourselves, it not only adds to our stress but it creates pride! That pride prevents us from going to God. We think we have it all together and admitting we don’t can make us feel weak.

We need to acknowledge our NEED for God, allowing Him to take all our worries and cares! He needs to be the one to lift us up! We cannot be about positioning ourselves by trying to shoulder it all on our own!

Allow God to cradle you in His loving arms and don’t worry so much about being the master of your own destiny!

The world tells us we have to have it all together but God tells us to rest in the knowledge that HE is in control! THAT should be at the heart of your prayer in the midst of times of need…HE is in control and we are not!

Dear Lord, help me to humble myself under your mighty hand, the hand that holds the world. Help me to lean on you and cast my anxiety on you and trust that you will heal my troubled heart.

May you lift me up and help me to see that I control nothing in my own power but through the power of prayer and through your love for me I can trust and have the inner peace of knowing that you want everything good thing for me.

Help me to learn to let your perfect peace reign in my life by surrendering control in difficult times. In the Name of Jesus, I pray!

The world tells us we have to have it all together but God tells us to rest in the knowledge that HE is in control! Click To Tweet

Philippians 4:6-7

“Do not be anxious about anything—but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the shalom of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Messiah Yeshua.”TLV

The word anxious in this verse, according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance is the Greek word is “merimnaō” and it means “to be troubled with cares”.

It is not the anxiousness that comes with HAVING anxiety as a medical condition. This is an anxiety that comes from being troubled and worried about problems and cares!

Ironically, it also means to “seek to promote one’s interests”.

Isn’t that so true? We become worried about things in life when we seek our own interests instead of what God wants!

When we are seeking God’s will and His wants in a situation, we don’t have to worry!! Prayers in the midst of life’s challenges should be for HIS will.

According to these verses, we should be seeking God in prayer! We should let Him know our request BUT with Thanksgiving. Our sense of gratitude for what God has given us and what He is working in our lives can be lost when we seek our own interests!

We need to always make sure that what we “want” in life lines up with God’s will and God’s word. Then we can go to Him with our needs and experience the peace of knowing God will always work His perfect will in our lives. That is where peace comes from!

Lord, help me to be anxious for nothing but bring everything to you in prayer. I know when we try to handle everything ourselves confusion reigns over peace. Help me to give any inner turmoil to you and trust that your constant love and care for me and your abundant mercy will guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus.

Father God, I know that every good gift comes from you and I give you thanks for all the blessings in my life. Help me to always come to you with a thankful heart knowing that every breath is a gift. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray!

Isaiah 40:31

but they who wait for Adonai

    will renew their strength.

They will soar up with wings as eagles.

They will run, and not grow weary.

They will walk, and not be faint.

TLV

Praying for the Lord to strengthen us and to give us what we need to get through life’s difficult moments is a prayer He WILL answer! As a woman of God, we need to draw our strength from Him and not the world!

Dear God, that You would renew my strength and give me peace of mind! Help me to gain strength in your Word, in your mercy, and in your grace! Help me to always run into your arms to be renewed and refreshed in your perfect peace when life gets chaotic!

May I never rely on my own strength, which fails, but on your strength which never fails! Almighty God, help me to always go to You when I experience chaos in my life and in this world and not rely on man! In the precious Name of Christ Jesus, I pray!

2 Corinthians 12:9

“…but he told me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is brought to perfection in weakness.” Therefore, I am very happy to boast about my weaknesses, in order that the Messiah’s power will rest upon me.”

CJB

His grace is sufficient for us. In our weakness, His power is made perfect.

Wow! When we allow ourselves to, like in the previous verse, draw our strength from Him, His power is made perfect! We can pray these encouraging prayers to ask Him to give us that strength, having faith that the peace of God will fill our lives!

Dear Heavenly Father, your grace is sufficient for me because when I am weak, you are strong. Help me to always trust that Your grace is enough. Whatever this world holds, it is nothing in comparison to the eternal peace I have in You.

May the power of the Messiah and the power of the Holy Spirit always rule and reign in my life, no matter what life brings. In Jesus’ Name!

God uses the broken, the weak, the “hot messes of the world” because then there is no question it is our powerful God at work!

Allow God to use you to work out His power and trust that His grace is sufficient for you!

Deuteronomy 31:8

“Adonai—He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you. Do not fear or be discouraged.”

TLV

The Lord goes before you! In other words, there is no place in life you will ever be that the Lord has not already prepared a way for you either to it or through it!

He will never leave you! He will never turn His back on you! People may fail you but the Lord will NEVER fail you! 

We do not need to fear! We have the Lord of Heaven and earth going ahead of us! The Ancient of Days guards behind us! We have Adonai Tzva’ot, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, alongside us!

Our prayers for peace should be accompanied by our knowledge and faith in who He is and His faithfulness!

Father God, help me to always rest in the knowledge of who You are. Let me always see that the Prince of Peace will never leave me or fail me and that, as children of God, we never need to fear.

Help me to run to you, even in the small things in life knowing that trusting you with the little things helps prevent them from becoming bigger issues. Take my anxious thoughts and the heavy matters I may be dealing with and fill me with clarity of mind and peaceful sleep at night.

When the howling of the scary storms of life seem to want to overtake me in the middle of the night, help me to rest peacefully in the boat knowing that Jesus, the source of peace, and the power of your Holy Spirit are in control.

Dear Father, I am in need of your peace in everyday life and trust you to take this anxious spirit within me so that I do not need to fear or be discouraged. May the peace of Christ rule in my heart. In Jesus’ Name, I pray!

The Lord goes before you! In other words, there is no place in life you will ever be that the Lord has not already prepared a way for you either to it or through it! Click To Tweet

Peace in Chaos Found in His Word Alone

When you feel lost, overwhelmed, or in chaos, remember that His Word alone is all you need for encouraging prayers!

It provides strength, encouragement, wisdom, and song! It is your prayer when you don’t have the words! And it is your help in times of trouble!

The Lord will never leave you! There is nothing He cannot handle for you!

You are His child and He is your loving Father! So trust in your Father’s Word and lean not on the world and its understanding! Pray these encouraging prayers from His scriptures on peace and find rest!

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CJB – Taken from the Complete Jewish Bible by David H. Stern. Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Messianic Jewish Publishers, 6120 Day Long Lane, Clarksville, MD 21029. www.messianicjewish.net.

Tree of Life (TLV) – Scripture taken from the Holy Scriptures, Tree of Life Version*. Copyright © 2014,2016 by the Tree of Life Bible Society.  Used by permission of the Tree of Life Bible Society.

Post updated from 11/25/2019