A prayer to help me remember what is true

Heavenly Father,

Like with Job in his suffering, the enemy continues his wearying lie, “Did God actually say?” (Genesis 3:1). Moments of doubt and fear can creep into our thoughts when we’re gripped in the lonely pain of suffering. “Doesn’t suffering mean that my faith has failed? That I have unconfessed sin causing this? That I’m not strong enough a believer? Oh God, what if I’m not a believer? Is that what this trial means?”

Father, in the pain of his prolonged agony, Job’s worst pain dwelt here. More than his physical, financial, and relational suffering, he was concerned that You were the one accusing him and that he was no longer Yours. Through his friends’ warped views of suffering, our evil accuser insidiously provoked Job to think it must be his personal and unconfessed sin causing his suffering and that it must be his punishment for his sin.

Sometimes, in the darkest moments of pain, I wonder the same thing.

Please help me remember what is true about my sin and salvation

When the same old lie infiltrates my thoughts, remind me of Your truth! When the accuser makes me think that my suffering means I’m not right before You or I’m not saved, help me remember the gospel. Maybe this is my daily need right now!

Yes, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23), but You show Your love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8). Yes, I still sin constantly, but Your death completely fulfilled my penalty for my every sin.

Jesus, thy blood and righteousness
my beauty are, my glorious dress;
‘midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
with joy shall I lift up my head.

(“Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness,” Ludwig, N., & von Zinzendorf, G., 1739)

Please help me remember what is true about my new identity as a believer in Christ

This is past tense! This refers to the time before You brought me to life, out of my deadness, and gave me the free gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus my Lord (Rom. 6:23). Now, I have been justified by grace through Your free gift of faith and I have peace with You (Rom. 5:1)! Now, by Your great grace, I want to follow Jesus, not the enemy who is accusing me.

Bold shall I stand in thy great day;
for who aught to my charge shall lay?
Fully absolved through these I am
from sin and fear, from guilt and shame.

Please help me remember my gospel hope for today and tomorrow, on my hard days

Jesus was raised and He is alive now! You’ve given me eternal life with Him! As a believer, You tell me that I “have” Him (1 Jn. 5:11-12)! I am “in Him” and therefore, now? There is “no condemnation” for me as one who is “in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).

When from the dust of death I rise
to claim my mansion in the skies,
e’en then this shall be all my plea,
Jesus hath lived, hath died, for me.

I interrupt my suffering with a song of praise to You, my Lord and Savior!

Jesus, be endless praise to thee,
whose boundless mercy hath for me,
for me a full atonement made,
an everlasting ransom paid.

Please give me a song of gospel hope, a song that praises You for the riches of Your grace. Father, in Your boundless mercy to me as Your beloved daughter, please help me remember that I am forever Yours, in this time of suffering. As I sing praise to You for the faith and sure hope You’ve gifted to me, I’m

taking up the shield of faith

extinguishing all the flaming darts of the evil one

taking up the helmet of salvation to protect my thoughts from these lies

and offensively using the sword of the Spirit, Your Word (Eph. 6:16-17)! 

What is Your Scriptural song for me to sing today? Lord, I praise You with that song that extols my blessed Redeemer! It’s in His name that I pray, amen.

Material adapted from Singing the Gospel to Job: Finding Hope in Suffering, Lauri A. Hogle, Copyright © 2022

Resources for Singing Christ’s Hope into your suffering

Sister in Christ, if you are also walking through suffering, I pray any of the resources of this ministry will encourage both of us to remember what is true. For me, singing what is true has helped me endure years of what feels like Job-like suffering. Singing Scripture itself has been God’s powerful gift! Praising God for what is true has become His healing hope!

If praising God through weekly playlists of Scriptural truth would also help you in the battles that suffering includes, sign up below and they will come to your email. Walking alongside you as we both look to Jesus, sister in Christ.