When You Don't Know What to Do Today

Maybe you're facing something this morning, and you don't know what to do about it. You've been through every option, and you don't even know what to pray. Today we'll pray with a king who was in that same spot, and he said so out loud. Let's bring this to God together.

In Second Chronicles, chapter twenty, verse twelve, King Jehoshaphat of Judah stands in front of his people and prays this.

For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.

2 Chronicles 20:12

Judah was in real danger. A vast army was coming, and the king heard it was already close. Jehoshaphat was alarmed, so he set his face to seek the Lord and called all of Judah to fast and pray.

They gathered at the temple with their families. Jehoshaphat began his prayer with who God is, and only then laid out the trouble. He's the king, and he admits in front of everybody that he has no answer. He has one honest sentence and a place to look.

Many of us have stood there. Maybe a letter came yesterday saying your department is being cut. Maybe your mother's doctor says she can't live alone anymore, and every choice feels wrong. You've turned it over all night, and you can't even find the words to pray.

Writing to the church in Rome, Paul says the Spirit helps us in our weakness. Then he says this.

For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.

Romans 8:26

Jehoshaphat said, we don't know what to do. Paul says, we don't know how to pray. Neither of them pretends, and the Spirit takes up the prayer you can't put into words.

Right there in the assembly, the Spirit of the Lord came on one of the Levites, and he said,

Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.

2 Chronicles 20:15

God did rescue Judah. That word was for Judah, about that army, through a prophet, so it's no promise that every fight we dread will go our way. It does show who Jehoshaphat was praying to. God hears people who've run out of answers.

Then Judah worshiped, with the army still out there. The next morning they got up early and went out to meet it. The singers walked in front, singing,

Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving devotion endures forever.

2 Chronicles 20:21

Trusting God didn't leave them sitting still. You may not see the whole road this morning. You can usually see the next small step. Take it with your eyes on Him.

Our battles look different from Judah's. For many of us the fight is with fear, or a temptation we keep losing to, or a trial that won't let up. The writer to the Hebrews tells us where to look.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:2

Jesus went to the cross for our sins, and God raised Him up and seated Him at His right hand. The battle that matters most has been won. You don't have to get today right to be welcome. Through Jesus, the Father welcomes you on the mornings you have the words and on the mornings you don't.

Let's pray. You can pray these words with me, out loud or in your heart.

Father, thank You that I can come to You through Jesus. He died for my sins and rose again, and because of Him I'm welcome here before I've done a single thing right today. I don't have the words this morning, so by Your Spirit, help me pray.

You're the God of heaven, and every nation answers to You. “Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You.” Nothing in front of me is too big for You. You're never short of an answer, and You're never in a hurry. You're patient with me, even when I take my time coming to You.

You know what I'm facing. I've gone over it again and again, and I'm no closer to knowing what to do. I've made lists in my head. I've lain awake arguing with myself. I tried to think my way out before I ever came to You, as if worrying were a kind of work. Forgive me for that. And forgive me for thinking I need the right words before I can talk to You. I'm worn out, and half the time all I've got is a knot in my chest. You don't ask me for polished words.

So I'll say it the way Jehoshaphat did. “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” That's me this morning. Your Spirit knows what I can't put into words, so speak for me where I can't. Give me wisdom for this. Show me the next step, and help me take it. If I'm meant to act, make it clear and give me courage. If I'm meant to wait, teach me to wait well. Send me a wise person or two who'll tell me the truth, and give me ears to listen.

Your word tells me where to put my eyes. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith”. So I'm looking at Him now. He went to the cross for me, and You raised Him and seated Him at Your right hand. If You did that for me, I can trust You with this. I don't know how it will turn out, and I give it to You. Be in it with me, however it goes.

I pray for others who are standing in front of something they can't figure out. For someone sitting in a parked car, not ready to go in. For someone who's too tired to find any words at all. Come close to them. Give them peace, and send someone to sit with them. And for everyone praying along with me right now, let Your Spirit pray for us all where we run out of words.

Now go with me into this day. As I get up and start on what's in front of me, remind me where to look. When the fear comes back around ten o'clock, help me look to You instead of going over it for the hundredth time. Let me worship You before I've figured anything out. Give me one small thing to thank You for before lunch. Judah's singers went out first and sang, “Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving devotion endures forever.” I'll say it with them, even if I don't feel it yet. If I still don't have an answer tonight, I'll still be Yours.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Take a moment of quiet now, and bring Him whatever's in front of you today.

Hear these words from Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians, and take them with you into today.

But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.

2 Thessalonians 3:3