I remember very vividly one of the times I searched for this topic. Verbatim I typed in “prayers for strength”.
As a new mom of a 2-year-old and a newborn, I was exhausted. I lost my patience for the first time with my toddler since bringing home my son 6 weeks earlier.
There in the middle of the kitchen on valentines day, I found myself snapping at my 2 year old. All I wanted was 30 seconds to finish something and as soon as I got the baby down, my toddler went into stage 4 clinger mode.
I was pretty mortified at myself.
Simply put, I do not want to be a mom who snaps when she loses her patience, whether I am exhausted or not. Besides, working full time and raising two little ones will put me in more stressful situations because that’s just the nature of life.
Prayers For Strength, The First Place To Start
So, with tears streaming from my face I found myself asking for forgiveness and saying prayers for strength to get me through this hard parenting day, and all the hard days that would come.
While my sweet little one happily accepted my apology, I knew that I needed to turn build a stronger foundation of strength (and patience) for the new challenges that being a mom of 2 would bring me.
Until motherhood, I never realized that one could feel so weak and be strong all at the same time. Luckily for us, the good Lord understands our heart and sees that often times it is in the act of trying to be strong for others that shows our weakness.
So below I have put together 7 short prayers for strength to help guide you through this hard time you find yourself in.
Because strength is not often something we wake up asking for more of without a problem in our day triggering it, you will find that these 7 short prayers for strength are categorized by problem to make it easier for you to find the prayer you need today!
And today, on the other end of your prayer you will find God’s promise of strength and guidance.
7 Short Prayers For Strength
1.When you need help
Please rescue me Lord. Without you I will not overcome this challenge and I lean on you to guide me to the safe shore. My cries for help are getting louder and my arms are reaching to you, thank you for grabbing hold and taking my troubles.
“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.”- Psalm 34:17
2.When you are overwhelmed
Dear Lord, I pray that I do not forget you have gifted me with a strong spirit, love and am capable to move through these mountains. When I feel I cannot take another step, may I be reminded you have already instilled in me the willpower to take another step. My strength comes from you therefore I need not focus on feelings of overwhelm but take it one step at a time, allowing you to shine light on the next step that needs to be taken.
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”- 2 Timothy 1:7
3.When you feel exhausted
Lord, I am tired. I need the strength to know it is ok for me to stop and to rest. I feel like I can’t let the foot off the gas with my current situation, but I am exhausted. I pray I stop feeling like rest is a bad strategy and am reminded by this verse in Matthew that you accept us coming to you with out burdens and in exchange, you give us rest. Let me have the strength to rest so that I may wake and have the strength to continue.
“Come to me, all you who are burdened, and I will give you rest”- Matthew 11:28
4.When you need to feel brave
Today I feel discouraged and scared, Lord. I pray for strength so that I may overcome the feeling of discouragement, to be brave. I know you are near me at all times and will not leave me alone through this. Keep me reminded of this even when I feel my weakest so that I may not forget to turn to you for the strength I need.
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”- Deuteronomy 31:8
5. When you are grieving
Lord help me to remember that it is you who will carry me through and I am not alone facing this by myself. May your joy fill me with the strength I need to get through today and cast light on the things I can be thankful for, despite the sadness around me.
“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”- Nehemiah 8:10
6. When you don’t know where to turn
How often does one think they know where they are headed, just to look up and realize they don’t know where to go anymore? Lord, I do not want to be lost anymore. I pray for spiritual discernment so that I may know how to get back to you. I am feeling lost and scared, I am tired and need to stop wondering what to go when I know you are waiting with open arms for me to return to you. I pray for strength to get back on to the path that leads me to you, Lord.
“Come to me, all you who are burdened, and I will give you rest”- Matthew 11:28
7. When you are trying something new
Lucky number 7 speaks directly to my heart. Nothing like being outside of your comfort zone to bring out the best in you (I say loaded with sarcasm!).
Trying new things-maybe a goal, maybe you want to apply for a promotion but are a little doubtful, or you are a new mom of 2 who is used to being on top of things are feeling like there is nothing but new all around you making you struggle… and you do not like to struggle!
The feeling of self doubt get’s its very own post and prayer: Self Doubt Has No Room In A Happy Mom! because there is nothing like the horrible feeling self doubt inflicts on us that has us reaching our hands up and asking God for His strength!
How to Use These Prayers
Does hearing the word strength, or the statement about one needing strength make you think of weakness?
When I read the word strength, my mind automatically implies weakness is near.
At least it used to.
Come to find out, it doesn’t always have to!
Through the process of journaling and staying consistent with journaling, I have gotten much more comfortable with being honest in these situations.
Stress, overwhelm, feeling a bit lost- all of that junk I’ve been able to minimize it from rearing it’s ugly head by getting honest with myself.
Consistently growing myself as a person and of course, being intentional to strengthen my relationship with God is a great place to start if you want to stop those feelings from impacting you so much.
And now, you can too!
Long story short, thing of it like this: you always want to lose weight but then find yourself eating a cupcake at your work’s potluck or indulging on some ice cream when the kids aren’t around.
Journaling is just the process to help you figure out why you keep doing one thing and wanting another.
I want you to feel like the strongest Mom on this entire planet.
Capable and confident to overcome the challenging days at work, with your children, your relationships.
I invite you to come join my during my next free 10 day journaling challenge!
God gave you an inner voice and you need to learn to take better care of it, so now it’s time to try something new!
On the other side of journaling is a better version of you- one that can go to bed without feeling doubtful or exhausted all the time in motherhood.
Make sure and PIN here so you can refer back to these prayers next time!
