How Christians Can Pray When They Are Struggling

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How to Pray When You’re Struggling

Contending for the Word Q&A

Episode Summary

There are moments when prayer feels natural, and there are other times when words do not come easily, emotions are heavy, and Christians struggle to know what to say. In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins considers how Christians can pray when they are struggling and why prayer is not about finding perfect words but about coming honestly before God.Looking at Romans 8:26 and Psalm 62:8, Dave explains how the Holy Spirit helps believers in their weakness, why God invites His people to pour out their hearts before Him, and how prayer turns Christians away from self-reliance toward dependence upon the Lord. Even when words fail, believers can trust that God hears them because they come before Him on account of the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ.

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Episode Highlights

Why prayer does not require perfect words.
How Christians can come honestly before God in times of struggle.
What Romans 8:26 teaches about the Holy Spirit helping believers in weakness.
Why Psalm 62:8 calls Christians to pour out their hearts before God.
How prayer turns believers away from self-reliance and toward dependence upon God.
Why Christians can trust that God hears them because of Jesus Christ.

Key Scripture

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” — Romans 8:26

“Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” — Psalm 62:8

Stand Firm in the Truth of God’s Word

Thank you for listening to this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A. This podcast is part of Contending for the Word, where we answer questions and address issues from the truth of God’s Word.For more episodes and biblical resources, visit the Contending for the Word Q&A podcast page.You can also watch more episodes on YouTube through the Contending for the Word Q&A YouTube playlist.

Dave Jenkins

Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah, and lives in beautiful Southern Oregon. He is a writer, editor, and speaker who loves Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology.Dave serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. He is the Host and Producer of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast and a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word.He is the author of The War of Worldviews: Truth, Lies, and the Battle for the Christian Mind (Theology for Life, 2026), Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021).You can connect with Dave on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or subscribe to his newsletter.When he is not engaged in ministry work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, going to movies, sharing a meal at a favorite restaurant, or playing a round of golf with friends. He is also a voracious reader, particularly of Reformed theology and the Puritans, and is often found working through a stack of new books from a wide range of Christian publishers.Dave earned his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.

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