Running away from your problems?

Hey folks, I have a question.

Have you ever prayed for certain people / situations for a long time (months, years) with a broken heart and tears almost every time you bow your knee? There are some people and situation about which I know I should pray, because there is no other way out literally. But I've prayed about it so often and it breaks my heart even if I only think about the whole thing. And because I do not want to cry every time I pray (and perhaps don't want to realise how tough the whole situation is), I kind of don't talk about it neither with God, nor with brothers or sister in Christ...

Is that wrong? Is that running away from your problems? I did not think so much of it myself before I spoke with an unbelieving friend and told him that it is not good to run away from your problems. And he told me, "Why are you telling me this? Perhaps you are doing the same yourself." And then I thought of this 'hurting place'.

So, is that wrong? What would you do in my place?

Yours in Christ,
E.

P.S. Edit to add / correction.

E-

I was wondering if when you do pray you are praying boldly or with a "sorry to bother you again, Lord” sort of attitude?

I ask because sometimes I catch myself falling into the latter mindset when I have prayed for something for a long time.

I was listening to an audiobook yesterday and this line stuck in my head:

"And most crucial of all, do not approach God whining or begging, but boldly””as a child of the King.”

I was wondering if when you do pray you are praying boldly or with a "sorry to bother you again, Lord” sort of attitude?

Uhm,... I think the Lord could handle my weeping, even if it was daily. But I think it exhaust me both spiritually and emotionally to such a degree that I just do not want even to go the place where I should weep again.

And the other thing I've thought about is: if I were to weep again daily about that, I could not worhsip God, I would not thank Him and enjoy His presence but would just be so overwhelmed by the thoughts of the particular chaos among people so dear to me. I guess that's why I just skip the whole issue, though I know prayers are indeed needed.

Can’t you take a different tack? How about getting angry? Not at God, but at the situation?

...praying with faith, truly committing the situation or person to God, trusting that His good will be done?
...next time you think about it, praising God for having heard your prayers and thanking Him for answering in His own mysterious way?

Hi TakeUpthecross

I have just came out of a massive trial which no one seemed to have the awnser and even Christians added to the pain because of their fleshly scripture responses. I prayed and I prayed for a person to be free of things in their life and had no effect.

I was so interested in my own will that i hadnt sort the Lords will in the matter. God had different plans it was my faith, my knowledge and relationship with Jesus that he wanted to deal with. As the trial went on and i gave my self more to God and died every day in the flesh, the more God sanctified me and taught me.

A good book on prayer that really helped me and I started to see supernatural results to prayer is a book by Watchman Nee called "Let us pray" our prayer group has changed due to the principles and understandings in this little book.

It talks about Burden of prayer and how God puts a burden on our heart to pray for something and the way in which we should pray that burden out of us. Its a very powerful principle that Gives God all the Glory.

God bless Karl

Rom 8:28 I think of prayer as an act of worship even when I don’t know how to pray. It acknowledges that you/I believe God is the only answer which brings honor to Him in the presence of the whole of Heaven. It sounds as if you heart is engaged in it even if you don’t know what to say, I can’t see that as being anything but a sweet incense in The presence of our loving Father. Don’t grow weary press on you answer maybe just one more prayer away.

Interesting question, one I suspect many have to deal with and at some level become frustrated because it seems as though God is doing nothing.

Then I am reminded of 1 John 5:16-17: "If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. (1 Jno. 5:16,17). This concept seems to echo the one in Jeremiah "Therefore, do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you," (Jer. 7:16) and in other places as well.

Now, how does this relate to me in my/our situation? My primary concern is that I would not personally hinder God's work in the life of this individual and this is my prayer when I do pray about it. This allows me to leave the situation in God's hand, that I cannot remedy it but only He can - I cannot fix it.

What makes the situation doubly difficult is when the situation is caused by a very religious person who is narcissistic to the core. The professionals say these people cannot be helped but for some reason I think God can change one although I have never seen it. For me, I have to stay close to the WORD, allowing it to transform me and back off from working to fix the situation. Some will believe you but are powerless to act and others will not believe you so you soon learn that any change must originate from the throne of Grace and we cannot facilitate it.

E., you are not alone. God bless.

Sandra

Interesting question, Todd.

Let me ask you one: can anger at sin be helpful at any level?

Sandra

Yes, if only to help us pray more fervently.

The devil is a bully and he will push us in the chest over and over again saying "what you gonna do about it punk?”... until we resist.

If I was praying like that I would have to be careful that a temptation to a root of bitterness didn't suddenly spring in my mind to tempt me. As being in that heightened state of prolonged desire for an answer can cause an anxious state. And the mind becomes unstable. The devil will tempt us in our weakness. And be careful as many strong people have backslidden. This isn't to discredit anyone's faith. We are all susceptible.

Because anger has been listed in the catalog of sins Christians have labeled all anger as sin and so will shy away from situations that might produce a flash of anger. Yet, Scripture still tell us to be angry and sin not indicating there is room for it that is not sinful. Then you have Jesus'example of cleansing the temple with whips.

Given the proliferation of perversion and how it works to wear down the Believer how can one live in this culture and not be impacted at some point? Or, getting closer to where the rubber meets the road, family who choose to live in rebellion, how do you deal with it? Obviously, throwing a temper tantrum will not work; reasoning does not work.... How far can one go being 'friendly' and not become tolerant of sin? (Am thinking about the warning Jesus is giving to the church at Pergamon - Rev. 2:12-17.)

Sandra

Hi Sandra

you said

"What makes the situation doubly difficult is when the situation is caused by a very religious person who is narcissistic to the core"

You are so right with this i was nearly driven to suicide twice because of one of these. I would pray and pray for them and they would come against me more and more until i lost everything. A good father of the faith said to me cut ties straight away and forget all of your earthly wealth attached to that person as they are like hooks to their venom. I did just that and for the first time depression left me and my life turned around.

I have 2 others in my life that are like this and God has been teaching me how to pray against the spirits in the back ground (Ephesians) and how to escape the traps they leave around.

I have never dealt with these before and it really tests every part of you spiritually. Physically i have to be humble but spiritually in prayer i have to be aggressive. I deal with these people everyday but it definatly sorts out what is truth and what is false in your foundations in the word.

but to the glory of God 1x of these is starting to show signs of a repentance even if it is only slight at the moment.

What makes these situations doubly difficult is when you know that unless repentance is forthcoming you know these people's destination is hell. On the one hand you will know they will deserve it but on the other hand you know there will never be any relief from its horror/pain and you cringe all over and almost panic because you do not want this to be the case for this individual. Then I remember how Jesus suffered and died to spare mankind from this horror and if sinners reject this solution so would it not be fair to discard them to a hell? I know it would. Then I understand the anger God has towards those that choose to reject Him.

We cannot make the choices for others but we can make our own and at times the consequences test us to the limit.

Sandra

Forgive me brothers and sisters for letting you wait so long!

First thank you all for your input, much food for thought. I will try to write more later. But for now...

@Todd - No, I cannot get angry at the situation, because it involves people I love very much, also of the household of faith.

I think, I know what I will do. My reaction - is self protection. But actually we as Christians are like firemen, policemen, paramedics and soldiers - we run TO the situations from which others flee! At least that is our calling! To fight the good fight of faith. I think, I will just ask the Lord to give me the grace and strenght (physical,spiritual and psychical) to carry it through till God be glorified.

Isn't He the God who said: "Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me." Psalm 50:15

Is the devil behind the "situation?”

Is the devil behind the situation?

I think so. But I myself don't understand the whole situation. I mentioned some of that in a previous post, concerning my falmily.

There is a lot of chaos, being produced by the enemy. There are many mistakes that have been done in the meantime, and many hearts have been and are broken over the issue(s)...

"These six things doth the LORD hate:... A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." - Proverbs 6

Sis Sandra, thank you also very much for your response.

What makes the situation doubly difficult is when the situation is caused by a very religious person who is narcissistic to the core

Well, I would not call any in the situation narcissistic. But I do not understand why I cannot help people change their perspective / attitude / bury the past and build up a better future.