09/14/2026
Have your prayers been stale lately? Are you having a tough time in your prayer closet and it is as if there is a sheet of glass between you and God? Oh, you can see Him, and you know exactly how you ought to pray, but this invisible wall of glass is preventing you from getting there? You are not alone in this regard, and there is a way to overcome this prayerful malaise.
“looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”
Hebrews 12:2-3 ESV
We are not talking about a crisis of faith today, but rather an inability to pray as we should, or as we once did. There are many reasons why our prayer life can suddenly fall flat, but the most common one is losing our focus on Jesus, and God. When things happen in our lives that cause us to shift our attention away from God and onto something else it interrupts our prayer life. At the root of this shift is our belief that we can handle whatever it is on our own, or that we are in charge.
When hurricanes hit the United States. There will be loss of property, and life because of it, and there will be two ways that people will react to it spiritually. The first will be to lean more heavily on God, and to call on the name of Jesus like never before. The second, however, is to erect a glass wall, and many people will find themselves doing this by placing their personal efforts at dealing with the storms first in their lives. They will take charge of protecting themselves, and then their relief efforts as well.
Whenever we are confronted with hardship in our lives we have a tendency to try to fix it ourselves. We immediately engage our minds, arms, and legs and begin to deal with whatever it is. Sure, we might throw up a quick prayer, but it is more of a “help me Jesus as I do this” prayer. Have you been there before? Maybe it wasn’t a Hurricane, or other natural disaster; perhaps it was a sick child, a problem at work, your finances going sour, your marriage failing, or some other immediate problem. Prayer in times of trouble should be just like it is in the other times we come to God... “Father, take this hardship that is confronting me, show me how I should deal with it and give me the strength to do so!” Do you see the difference? In the “help me” prayer we are placing ourselves on the spiritual throne within ourselves, but in the “take this” prayer we are kneeling before God’s throne... and He is still sitting on it.
When hurricanes strikes there will be millions of prayers lifted up, and both kinds will be included in them. Some who pray will feel like their prayers are being heard, while others will feel frustrated in them. This isn’t to say that the homes or lives of both won’t be shattered, but rather, how we see God stepping in to lift them up again. One will be giving thanks amidst the storm, while his neighbor will be asking “where are you God!” Both will suffer the rain, the floods, and the storm surge, but those who seek God first in these times of great trial will receive comfort, rescue, and blessings in the storm.
“so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Matthew 5:45 ESV
There are other causes for our prayers to splat up against the glass wall we have erected between ourselves and God. Here is one good example...
“Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.”
1 Peter 3:7 ESV
When we are having trouble in our marriages... husbands are having trouble loving their wives, or wives are having difficulty subjecting themselves to their husbands, then a glass wall has been erected in our prayer closets regarding the other things in our lives together. We have taken the structure God intended for marriage... the one we made covenant to uphold... and are not adhering to it. Does this sound familiar to any married couples who are reading this? Have you ever been in an argument with your spouse and tried to pray in its midst? How difficult was this?... especially if you were trying to pray about something other than for God to take control of the problem in your marriage? Solving the marital separation involves treating your spouse according to God’s Word... even if it is hard, and even if it is unreciprocated, but ultimately God’s desire is for us to live in harmony… Remove the wall in your prayer closet.
So today, if we are experiencing a time in our lives when hardship is abounding, let’s place God back on the throne of our lives, and give our problems to Him. Let’s face the storm with Him at the helm, and listen to His voice as He directs us. Let’s concentrate on His Word, His commandments, our covenants before Him, and let the Holy Spirit give us understanding so that the glass walls that have been frustrating our prayers will be removed. Let’s honor God by honoring our faith to which we are pledged... and in this way our prayers will soar!
“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
1 Timothy 6:12 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for hearing my prayers, and for leading me into your presence. Thank you Holy Father for your Son Jesus Christ who stands before you in intercession for me. Open my eyes Father when I have placed something ahead of you in my life, or I am not living up to the spiritual promises and expectations you have of me. Help me to see when I have disobeyed, or strayed from you, and make my understanding of your will equally clear amidst the storms in my life, just as it is during the peaceful and harmonious times. When I fail you Merciful Father, hear my crying and supplication; lead me to understand my shortcomings, and teach me not to shout accusations at you for those harms I have caused myself. Guide me to that place where I can take responsibility for my sins, and come before you in contrition… not blame.
I pray today for those in the path of the storms. I pray for all those who will be impacted by hurricanes in their lives, and I pray for those facing sundry other storms, whether they be physical, spiritual, emotional or whatever comes. Hear the prayers of your children, Father, and lift these faithful souls above their calamity. Help all of us to place you first in our lives despite the raging wind, and the rushing flood waters of disaster. Let each one of us feel your presence as we pray, and know that you are with us in the midst of our storm, and that you will see us through the pain and suffering we are feeling.
You are great Father, and your goodness knows no bounds... even as it overcomes the storms in our lives. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you who calms the wind, and stills the water. Great are you who forgives us and brings peace and hope to us despite our woes! Praised be your name now, and forevermore, for you are our protector and comforter, and you soothe us with your love, mercy, and grace in the midst of our troubles and woes. Help us to pray as we should and bring honor to your name as we do.
“And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?””
Matthew 8:24-27 ESV
Amen! Amen!
Rich Forbes