6 Encouraging Prayers for Hopeless Situations

I recently went to the woods to talk to God about a situation that felt hopeless.  Perhaps you’re facing some challenging circumstances, too.  You are in the right place.  Today, we’ll unpack six prayers for hopeless situations as we press into our true Source of hope.

We are never without hope when we learn where our unchanging hope is found.

This week, I invite you to join me in my favorite place: the woods.  Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you find hope in Christ.

Prayers for Hopeless Situations

As I walked through the forest recently, I realized I was falling into a behavior that has defined my response to hopeless situations for years: Trying to fix what felt broken.

Most of us feel tempted to try to fix what feels broken in our lives from time to time.  There’s nothing wrong with fixing what falls apart; however, when our hope rests solely on smoothing out our circumstances, we’re building our hope on shifting sands.

Jesus wants to be our Living Hope in the middle of our most broken circumstances.

A few years ago, our family endured a heartbreaking loss.  My knee-jerk reaction was to sprint through the valley of despair and emerge from our grief-stricken season as quickly as possible.  I wanted to close the painful chapter of our lives.

How to Put Your Hope in the Lord

As I hurriedly aimed to push myself through the pain, God offered me a different invitation.  I sensed him inviting me to claim his hope by resting in his arms.  He reminded me of his promise to walk with me through every valley in life.  I didn’t have to wait to climb out of the valley to rediscover hope—Living Hope walked with me through the darkness.

I reminded myself of these lessons as I walked beneath the dusky sky recently.

My hope is not found in an improved situation.  My hope is in Jesus.

The next time your heart is broken, your soul is grieving, or your body is paralyzed with physical pain, remember this: The Shepherd has not left you to navigate this valley on your own. 

He has promised never to leave you, and he assures you that nothing can ever take his love away from you. Let’s look at six biblical prayers for hopeless situations.

Biblical Prayers for Hopeless Situations

Cling to these promises and pray these prayers as you remind yourself of where you find your hope:

1. “Lord, as I put my hope in you, please fill me with your courage.”

When you put your hope in the Lord, he will give you the courage to endure whatever he places in front of you.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 ESV

2. “Father, I trust that your right hand will uphold me as I place my hope in you alone.”

When you hope in the Lord, his right hand upholds you.  Remind yourself that instead of figuring out how to fix your situation, you can rest in God’s arms and trust that his right hand is working on your behalf.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10

3. “God, I trust you to quiet my heart with your love as you sing over me today.”

God is in our midst, and he is singing over us even when our lives feel hopeless.  Lean into this love and let it carry you today.

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save . . . he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17

4. “Lord, thank you that nothing can ever take your love away from me.”

No matter how hopeless we feel, we can remind ourselves that nothing can separate us from God’s love.  His love is our anchor, our true identity, and our source of strength.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38-39

5. “Father, thank you for living in me and giving me the strength to endure this situation.”

God is not just with you; he is in you.  Let this promise fill you with hope and strength.

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16

6. “God, thank you for preparing the path ahead of me.  I trust in you as I step forward.”

God has already prepared the path where your feet now tread.  Keep moving forward, one step at a time.  He will guide you each step of the way.  You can trust him.

 “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”  Deuteronomy 31:8

God has already prepared the path where your feet now tread. Keep moving forward, one step at a time. He will guide you each step of the way. You can trust him. #God #trust Share on X

As for me, I walked through the woods until my heart felt lighter.  At the end of my walk, my circumstances had not changed; however, these prayers had filled me with hope.

Calling all moms and daughters—and parents of boys!

As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God.  Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 14, share this vision.  They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or grandparents to read with the children they care about.

God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength is for boys ages 5-13.  Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to courageously carry God’s love into the world.  Written with input from our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven, this book will help the boys you care about find courage and strength in God.  Find this life-changing devotional book here.

Devotionals for Girls

Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion.  I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven.  Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.

Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20.  It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing.  This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start.  Bekah and I will help you right here.

All three books are available in print and eBook form here on Amazon.  They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial!  These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them.  Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.

Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing

God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone.  Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life.  Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here.  (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!