How To Seek The Lord When You’re Feeling Desperate

When we feel desperate, we don’t think clearly. The best thing we can do is seek the Lord and let Him fill us with peace and purpose.

Many times, in my life I’ve gotten stuck. Have you?

A concern for a child, a friend in crisis, an unsatisfactory conversation with my husband, a misunderstanding with a girlfriend, a decision I don’t know how to make…

Whatever my “concern,” it has been easy to let my thoughts become negative, controlled by my fear over the issue. I know this is not what God desires; He longs for me to experience His peace. But it’s not so easy, is it? It’s far easier to give Him my concern, ask for His peace, feel peaceful for about 20 seconds, and then become anxious again.

Philippians 4:6-7 used to really bug me because it didn’t seem “to work” for me. Then one day I read the following verse, Philippians 2:8. I realized that I could not just empty my brain. I had to replace those thoughts with something else. That something else is a focus on WHO He is. Who He is which is found in the scriptures.

I realized that I was letting my issue of the moment become bigger in my head than He is. Clearly, in a dramatic way, I sensed Him say two words that were to change my life, “Remember me.” I needed my focus to shift from my stuff to who He is, again and again.

So how do we do this?

We become people who rely more and more on the promises in scripture which reveal to us how very big God is and yet how intimately interested He is in you and me.

Recently I was speaking at a conference. After my talk a young mom came up and asked me, “Susan how do you remember all those verses you shared?”

Without hesitation I responded, “Desperation.”

You see, the older I get the more desperate I become for God, and this means relying on His promises more and more. The scriptures are not merely wise statements; they are packed by the power of the Holy Spirit, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.

Here are 6 of my favorites and WHY:

“He is light and in him there is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5)

I need this because somedays everything feels dark around me. I have to focus on the fact that He is light, and His light breaks through any darkness. I ask Him to reveal his light to me today.

“You have searched me; Lord and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar…” (Psalm 139)

I need this because I have to be reminded that He alone really knows me, my faults, my secret sins and yet at the same time He loves me unconditionally.

“Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.” (Psalm 147:5)

When I feel no one understands, no one cares, no one…I am reminded that He does! He “gets me” completely. He understands. I must look to his understanding, His comfort first rather than to others.

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and mighty things that you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3) In a hard situation it’s easy to lose perspective, to get stuck. This promise encourages me to ask God to teach me something new, something unrelated to my issue. It opens me up to hear Him in fresh way, to consider a new vision. I long for something new, do you?

“And God is faithful, he will not let you be tested beyond what you can bear, but when you are tested, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13.) God knows my limits and yours. He knows what I can bear. He will protect us, and He will provide a means of escape.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…” Romans 8:1

Too often my natural default is to condemn myself. I should have… I shouldn’t have…But HE does not condemn me. He comforts me. Conviction is different from condemnation. If He convicts us of sin, we must confess it and receive His forgiveness. (1 John 1:9.) Conviction tends to be specific whereas condemnation tends to be general. (You are a lousy mom, wife, etc.) Condemnation is from the devil. It helps to recognize the difference.

In His Word

“I will never leave you nor will I ever forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5. There is only one thing you and I can completely count on: His presence. He is a “with me” God. He will never ever forsake me. I can rest in this. And you can too.

In Your Life

Take some time to write down your favorite promises. Share these at a family meal or with friends and tell why. This will enable your kids or friends to know you in a deeper, more personal way. Choose a Psalm to read together and have each person share what is most meaningful to them and why.

We Recommend

We recommend One Devotional: One Word, One Verse, One Thought for One Hundred Days for valuable insights in turning to Christ for hope and guidance. This resource emphasizes the significance of seeking God’s answers in Scripture, providing readers with practical wisdom and spiritual nourishment.

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