When the challenges of life hit you head on, looking to the Lord is sometimes the best way to find a way to surpass the barriers of life. Here are some great prayers for overcoming obstacles that are encouraging and will bring you comfort.
Prayer #1
O Lord, we call upon You in our time of sorrow,
That You give us the strength and will to bear our heavy
burdens, until we can again feel the warmth and love of
Your divine compassion. Be mindful of us and have mercy
on us while we struggle to comprehend life’s hardships.
Keep us ever in Your watch, til we can walk again with
light hearts and renewed spirits.
Prayer #2
Thank you, Lord, for being there for me and allowing me to cry out to you in my times of need.
It is amazing to me that the Lord of the Universe would take time to listen to me and to care about what I say.
God, there are things happening around me right now that I do not understand. Some of these things make me feel weak, helpless and afraid.
Even in the midst of this, I know that you are the Lord.
I know that the situation is in Your hand, and I trust You. I beseech you for strength and for wisdom that I would be able to endure this situation and be able to handle it in a way that would bring glory to Your name.
In Jesus name. Amen.
Prayer #3
Father, we sing praises unto Your Precious and Mighty name. We thank You for all You have done.
Be with us daily Lord, guide us and protect us as we remove obstacles in our way. Lead us along the plain path of righteousness, Oh Heavenly Father. Bless us with Your divine favor and mercy.
Prayer #4
Father, this world sometimes bewilders me and is beyond my understanding. I see poverty and disease, storms and earthquakes, war and killing. Many hearts are bound by ego and fear. Please strengthen my faith in your higher purpose and open my mind to the truth that everything is unfolding according to your divine plan. Let compassion and love for my brothers and sisters flow from me and may we all be uplifted by your glory. AMEN.
Prayer #5
Lord, sometimes when I look in the mirror I’m not too happy with what I see. Please let me see me the way you made me, beautiful and perfect just as I am. Help me to hold this image in my mind and heart as I follow my life’s path. Allow others to witness your light shining through me as I walk with confidence, grace and a smile on my face. Amen.
Prayer #6
Heavenly Father, as you know, I am facing a major health challenge in my life. I ask that you grant me the energy and determination to seek out and find the right physicians, treatments and programs; the courage and grace to follow them; and your peace and serenity to rest and restore my body, mind and spirit. Amen.
Prayer #7
I will lift up my eyes to the hills
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
Prayer #8
Father, my spouse has chosen to break the vow made before you, our families and friends at our wedding. My heart is heavy and my soul aches. I pray that you give me the courage and strength to go through this divorce with dignity, self respect and the knowledge that you are always with me. Amen.
Prayer #9
Dear God, I have loved well but not too wisely. I’ve given my heart to someone who has not honored that gift and I realize this relationship does not serve either of us. Please give me the courage and strength to end this relationship gracefully. Help me to forgive, heal and move on with my life so that I may open the door to new happiness. Amen.
Here is a look at how to overcome the many obstacles of life to success.
About the Author of this Blog Post Crystal Ayres has served as our editor-in-chief for the last five years. She is a proud veteran, wife and mother. The goal of ConnectUs is to publish compelling content that addresses some of the biggest issues the world faces. If you would like to reach out to contact Crystal, then go here to
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My favorite copy of the Bible is marked and dog-eared and has been rebound three times. In The Book are promises precious beyond measure to me, because I have found that God always stands behind them solidly, unwaveringly, as surely as the sun rises and the tides ebb and flow.
The particular promises that follow are a part of the fabric of my life. Each of them represents a milestone in my personal history. I share them with you as the gold they are.
1. When I need guidance:
“Know Him in all your paths, and He will keep your ways straight” (Proverbs 3:6).
2. When the answer to prayer seems slow in coming:
“Steady patience is what you need, so that after doing the will of God you may receive what you were promised” (Hebrews 10:36).
3. When I have sinned and need forgiveness:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
4. When I’m lonely and long to feel Christ’s presence:
“Look! I’m standing at the door and knocking. If any hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to be with them, and will have dinner with them, and they will have dinner with me” (Revelation 3:20).
5. When I do not feel good enough to be acceptable to God:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God—not because of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9).
6. When I am tempted:
“…God is faithful. He won’t allow you to be tempted beyond your abilities. Instead, with the temptation, God will also supply a way out so that you will be able to endure it” (I Corinthians 10:13).
7. When I need physical strength and good health:
“If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you… He will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you” (Romans 8:11).
8. When I wonder if God understands what I’m up against:
“But Jesus the Son of God is our great High Priest who has gone to heaven itself to help us; therefore let us never stop trusting Him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses since He had the same temptations we do, though He never once gave way to them and sinned” (Hebrews 4:14, 15).
9. When troubles multiply:
“… we triumph even in our troubles, knowing that trouble produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope—a hope which never disappoints us, since God’s love floods our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us” (Romans 5:3, 5).
10. How I know there is life after death:
“… I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in Me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. He is given eternal life for believing in Me and shall never perish” (John 11:25, 26).
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By Travis Bookout
Judith Viorst authored a children’s book entitled “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.” If you have ever read this book, or had it read to you as a child, you might remember the principle that everybody sometimes has bad days, “even in Australia.” Difficulties, problems and obstacles are simply a part of life in an imperfect world. It does not matter if you are rich (Solomon) or poor (Lazarus). It does not matter if you are righteous (Job) or wicked (Ahab). It does not matter who you are; every person will face problems at some time in his life. An inability to cope with problems can lead one to harmful side effects like stress, anxiety, ulcers, headaches, etc. This can result in depression, drugs, loss of faith, suicide, or any number of negative life changing decisions.
It is extremely important to be able to cope with and grow from negative life experiences. In Genesis, Cain received the bad news that his sacrifice was unacceptable to God, while his brother Abel’s sacrifice was acceptable. Rather than responding positively and correcting the failure inherent in his sacrifice, Cain allowed his problems to lead to ungodly decisions like hatred and murder. Cain clearly did not know how to deal with difficulties. Paul, however, is an example of someone who clearly knew how to overcome obstacles and difficulties in his life. Upon encountering the resurrected Lord and hearing that his life’s work had been accomplishing the exact opposite of what he intended, he made some life altering decisions. His decisions, unlike Cain, were positive and allowed him to solve the problems that faced him. He turned his life around, had his sins washed away in baptism, followed Jesus as an apostle, encouraged Christians through his teachings and writings, and has had a profoundly positive impact on the world. Paul clearly did know how to deal with difficulties.
Scripture not only gives examples of people who have overcome difficult circumstances, but it also gives recipes for overcoming difficult circumstances. A recipe that I have found helpful I have labeled as the “3 P’s.” The first “P” represents “Priorities.” If our number one priority in life is to have more money, a nicer car, or a bigger house, then we can rest assured that we will never truly be content. Houses flood, cars wear out, and money dwindles. If you want to have lasting fulfillment, make your number one priority something that lasts. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:33). Jesus says that God will provide for those who seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. That is a thought that brings great comfort to those who accept it. Job is an example of somebody who had his priorities in the right place, so when obstacles came he responded well. After Job lost many of his possessions, servants, livestock, and even the lives of his own children, “Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshipped. He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed by the name of the Lord.’ Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God” (Job 1:20-22). If Job’s priorities were riches, livestock, possessions, etc. then he could never have overcome the devastating loss that he endured. However, his priorities were in line and his perspective was healthy, and he overcame.
The second “P” represents “Prayer.” Prayer is a powerful and effective way to alleviate stress. Christians ought to train themselves to think “prayer first.” When bad new comes, or hard times hit we often think about all of the things that we must do to fix it rather than immediately turning to the One most able to fix it. If we could train ourselves to think about prayer before any other response, there is no telling how much good could be done. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6, 7). Notice the order of words in this verse: 1. anxious, 2. prayer, 3. peace of God. We so often spend most of our time on that first word, rarely move to the second, and can only dream of the third. As this verse teaches, we should just cut out that first word, immediately act on the second, and thank God for the third.
Daniel is a great example of putting this passage to practice. When Daniel heard that all of the wise men in Babylon (which included Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, and himself) were going to be slain unless they can clearly describe and interpret king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, he first reaction was not to panic or worry. His first reaction was to find time to pray. “So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him time, in order that he might declare the interpretation to the king. Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, about the matter, so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery…” (Daniel 2:16-18). The same is true in Daniel 6 when Darius made a decree outlawing prayer to any deity or man besides him for thirty days. Daniel’s first response was to pray to God as he had always done (Daniel 6:10). Again, in Daniel 9, after studying the book of Jeremiah and realizing that the seventy years in Babylonian captivity was almost complete, Daniel went to God in prayer. The book of Daniel is one of the greatest places to learn about the importance of prayer in all of Scripture. If we imitate Daniel’s prayer life, overcoming difficulties will be much easier.
The third “P” represents “Positivity.” If we can learn to focus on the positive things in life rather than solely focusing on the negative, we will become much stronger people both in the physical world we live in and in our spiritual lives. My good friend, Kyle Savage, said something to me not long ago that I think illustrates this point well. He said, “A Christian constantly complaining about his life is like the richest person you know constantly complaining about money.” Christians have it better than any other people on this earth. We have blessings and assurance in this life, but also in the life to come. We need to meditate and constantly speak about the good things that God has blessed us with, rather than focus on what we perceive to be negative in our lives. “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
If there is one example that we could look to for how to overcome difficulties in life, it is Jesus Christ. Jesus faced greater struggles than any of us could possibly imagine, yet He flawlessly overcame. Before facing the cross, Jesus had His priorities right where they should be. “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39). Jesus had His own desires, yet His priority was serving His Father. Jesus also prayed for strength repeatedly during this ordeal (Matthew 26:36-46). Finally, Jesus focused on the positive effect of the cross rather than the horrible agony of the cross. In a powerful lesson on the need for Christians to endure, the Hebrew writer instructs that we ought to fix “our eyes on Jesus…who for the joy set before Him endured the cross…” (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus endured the cross because He focused on the “joy set before Him.” Jesus is the perfect example of enduring through difficulties and overcoming obstacles. Let us prioritize, pray, and focus on the positive so that we can persevere through any trial.
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