When life gets really tough, everything can seem overwhelming. Our sense of peace is more challenging to maintain, our focus on our faith in God is not as steady as it once was, and we may simply feel lost. Whether it’s financial struggles, problems at work or at home, loss, or another issue that is robbing us of our overall well-being, our emotions can become tangled as we try to navigate it all. We might feel as though everything is falling apart, including ourselves, and we’re uncertain about how to approach God.

One of the most profound treasures that Jesus has given us is the model prayer in Matthew 6:9-13, which is commonly known as the Lord’s Prayer. This extraordinary grace provided by our Savior is a timeless guide to help us pray in every season, especially during the toughest moments of our lives. “This prayer isn’t relevant today,” some might argue regarding some parts. They may think this way because we live in the age of grace, but when Jesus taught this prayer, he knew exactly how essential it would remain throughout the ages. Its simplicity, humility, and depth are precisely what we need in order to understand the heart posture required to honor God’s greatness. We need not question the brilliance of the illumination Jesus provided. This is a powerful template that is as relevant today as it was when Jesus first spoke it.

Acknowledge Who God Is

Matthew 6:9 (NLT): “May your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon.”

1Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT) tells us to “pray without ceasing.” This verse should anchor us in the importance of prayer. Not only should it be our practice in the face of struggles, but it should be a pattern for us even when things are going well. Prayers are not to inform God of anything He doesn’t already know—He’s omniscient. The psalmist wrote in Psalm 139:2 (NLT), “You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.” Our Heavenly Father knows every detail there is to know about us. He knows all our challenges, needs, heartbreaks, and disappointments. In Matthew 6:8 (NLT), Jesus Christ said, “your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him.” So, our prayers to God are much more than communicating with Him about our needs and desires. They are an affirmation of our faith and acknowledgment of all that He is.  

And as we go before Heavenly Father, the awe and reverence for who He is should already be anchored in our hearts. He is holy—His name is holy—and acknowledging this, along with the greatness of His Kingdom, is an act of honor and reverence. God is supreme! He is all-powerful, omniscient, majestic, and awe-inspiring. He is perfect beyond perfection, magnificent beyond magnificence, and brilliant beyond brilliance. Revelation 4:3-5 (NLT) provides a glimpse into His glory: “3 The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. 4 Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads. 5 And from the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder.” This vision of God’s throne reveals that His majesty is beyond our comprehension. Everything about Him is dynamic and inspiring, and He has woven His glory into all of creation! This is our Creator! He is the highest; there is no elevation beyond Him.

Our Heavenly Father said in Malachi 3:6 (NKJV), “For I am the LORD, I do not change.” No matter how tough things get, God is still God. He’s unchanging and sovereign, and He is the only One worthy of praise. This first part of the prayer to keep God’s name holy reminds us to keep our eyes locked in on His greatness. This means we should shift our focus from our problems to the power and majesty of the One who is always in control. We honor His name by lifting it above our circumstances. In Psalm 145:1-3 (NLT), the psalmist wrote, “I will exalt you, my God the King, and praise your name forever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.” Even in tough times, we begin by worshipping God for who He is.

Pray for His Will to Be Done

God’s Will is rooted in His unchanging nature. In Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT), He said, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” God’s Will for us is good, and it’s especially comforting to know that in a world that is constantly changing, His Will never does. His purpose, plans, and desires for us are steadfast and unshakable. They keep us in His perfect peace. When we seek His Will and plan with our whole heart, it brings a stabilizing effect to every area of our lives.

If we’re brutally honest, when life gets difficult, most of us find ourselves asking “Why?” or “Why me?” It’s often shocking how hard life can hit us when we least expect it. Wanting to understand why we’ve been shaken to such a degree is a very common response. But when we get right down to the root cause of all the devastation and disappointment we face in life, the answer to “Why?” is this: we have a spiritual enemy that is evil in every way. Jesus Christ tells us in John 10:10 that the devil is in the earth to “steal, kill, and destroy.” It’s no secret that he’s always on the lookout for an opening to cause havoc and devastation.

Even when we do our best to close all the doors and shut him out, life still happens, but here’s the truth: we are not without the spiritual weaponry to stand strong amidst attacks. In Ephesians 6:11 (NLT), God tells us: “Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.”

When we pray, it’s important to understand that through our blessed Redeemer, God has already equipped us to handle every obstacle and adversity. No matter the battle, we are victorious in Christ! 1 John 5:4 (NLT) says, “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.” Our victory was secured by our Lord and Savior through his sacrifice and resurrection. He did not remain in the grave; he got up! This is God’s Will for us—to come out of every oppression victoriously. It is very important that our confidence in 1 John 5:4 is firm, that’s in our hearts and on our minds when we pray. We don’t need to know all the details of how our Heavenly Father works behind the scenes on our behalf. Praying for His Will to be done is praying for the very best outcome. It’s an act of surrender, acknowledging that His plan is always greater than ours.

So, there’s a shift in our minds and hearts that should happen when life gets tough. As we pray to our Heavenly Father, our focus should shift from our own desires to the perfection of His Will and power. He knows exactly what to do and how to do it. His timing is always perfect. Our humility and submission to the truth of this allows God’s peace to reign in our hearts, even when we don’t understand our circumstances.

We must also remember that God has given us the heart and faith to pray for His Will to be done everywhere, not just in our personal circumstances. James 5:16 (NLT) reminds us, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” When we’re in a heart space of faith in our prayer lives, our prayers are powerful. We can have confidence that we’re not just speaking words for the sake of saying them, we’re understanding that when we align our words with God’s promises—when we say what He says in the scriptures—power is released!

As 1 Timothy 2:2 (NLT) says, “Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.” The Word of God is the Will of God, and we should make praying according to His Word a habit pattern. We are called to pray not just for ourselves but for His Will to be done in the world around us. Even when life is tough, we must trust that God’s Will, though it is sometimes mysterious, is perfect. We can have full confidence that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose; He promises this in Romans 8:28.

Pray for His Provision and Thank Him for It

Matthew 6:11 (NLT): “Give us today the food we need.”

The condition of our hearts and minds towards our Heavenly Father is a very important part of an effective prayer—a prayer that goes up before His throne as a sweet-smelling savor. It is essential that certain truths are already locked in, and one of those is the words spoken by Jesus in Matthew 6:8 (NLT): “Your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” Our prayers are not informing God of our needs, because He already knows them. They are acknowledging our understanding that He is the One who takes care of our needs, and that He is willing and able to do so.

Philippians 4:19 (NLT) says, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” When the storms of life are raging, we can feel the weight of uncertainty, and often it brings up a lot of doubt. Whether it’s a physical, emotional, or financial need, anxiety and worry can cause us to doubt God’s provision and comfort. We might wonder if He will really do it—will He come to our rescue as He promised? The answer is a resounding ‘YES!’, and our faith is essential. Hebrews 11:6 (NLT) tells us, “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”

Fear is an enemy of faith, and it is impossible to have faith and fear at the same time. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we must choose which one will guide our decisions in life. When faith guides us, we acknowledge our trust in God. When fear guides us, it is evident that we don’t know God as well as we should. Our Heavenly Father has all power in His hands. He is the Creator of everything, and nothing, not even the smallest detail slips by Him. He takes care of our needs and never abandons us.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) tells us, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” These are such comforting Words from our Heavenly Father, and they are also so much more than that. They invite us to live differently, choosing to trust God every moment of our lives. It’s a choice we must make in times of both trouble and joy: Will we trust in God’s provision or doubt it? Let’s always choose to trust God with all that we are, not with just words, but with our whole heart. So, when the storms hit, we don’t just ask for help—we remember who He is; we thank Him for what He’s already done, and we trust that He’ll do it again. That’s when His peace guards our hearts like a shield. ■

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“How to Pray When Life Gets Really Tough – PART 1”, written for Springfield Fellowship © 2025. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.