Someone asks, “What do you think we should do?”
Usually, you can suggest something. But this time, you have nothing. Perhaps you are in a meeting at work. There is a problem to solve, everyone has offered an opinion, and now they are looking at you.
You care about getting this right. That is part of what makes it hard. You would like to offer reassurance, yet you cannot honestly say which choice is best.
How do you pray in that moment?
There is a moment in the Bible when a king finds himself without an answer. An enemy army is approaching Judah. King Jehoshaphat is frightened, and people gather to seek God’s help.
Standing before them, he prays. He remembers God’s power and the ways God has cared for his people. Then he speaks with extraordinary honesty.
In 2 Chronicles 20:12, he says: “We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.”
Imagine hearing your king say that. The person everyone might expect to have a plan admits that he cannot see one.
And he says it to God.
He is still able to call upon God while afraid. His fear can be spoken in this moment. The king can name both what threatens his people and the One they depend upon. There is room in this prayer for the full weight of what they are facing, without any pretence.
That is where the hope lies. His uncertainty has become something he can bring into his relationship with the Lord. He can ask for help while the danger is still real and his own understanding is still limited.
Perhaps you have thought you ought to feel more certain before you pray. You want to explain the situation properly, suggest a reasonable solution, perhaps sound a little more confident than you feel.
Jehoshaphat gives us permission to come to God in prayer honestly. The prayer includes the part we might be tempted to leave out: we do not know.
God already knows the limits of our understanding. We can speak to him from within them.
Think again of that meeting. Sometimes the most helpful moment comes when someone finally says, “I’m struggling to see what we should do.” Others may admit they feel unsure. The conversation becomes more honest, and asking for help becomes possible.
Jehoshaphat brings that honesty before God. The whole community stands there, including the children. Their need is shared, and so is their appeal to the Lord.
The chapter goes on to describe God’s answer and their deliverance. Yet they offer this prayer before they know how anything will unfold. They turn towards the God whose faithfulness they remember.
You can do that today. You can approach God with the actual question, including the confusion that comes with it. His care reaches you here, before you have worked out what to say or do.
For today, invite one trusted Christian to pray with you about an unresolved decision at work. A brief prayer together is enough: “God, we need your help with this decision. Please guide us.”
The decision may still need careful thought. An answer may take time. You have begun by being honest with God, and you can trust him as you face what comes next.
Question for you: What decision could you bring honestly to God today, even while you are unsure what to do? Share only what you feel comfortable sharing in the comments.
Let’s pray.
Father, you know the decisions that trouble us. You know how much we care, and how unsure we feel. We come to you as we are. Help us to speak honestly about our need and to trust your faithful love. Please guide us in the things we cannot yet understand. Thank you that we can ask for your help today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Join me tomorrow as we explore where wise words begin, in “Start by Listening”.