{"id":5605,"date":"2021-09-16T14:00:41","date_gmt":"2021-09-16T19:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/?p=5605"},"modified":"2021-10-29T14:02:11","modified_gmt":"2021-10-29T19:02:11","slug":"how-to-pray-seems-hopeless","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/sarahdamm.com\/index.php\/2021\/09\/16\/how-to-pray-seems-hopeless\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Pray Even When It Seems Hopeless"},"content":{"rendered":"

It was only eight o\u2019clock in the morning. I already drove my children to school and was back home. I unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher. And just before heading to my weekly Holy Hour, I checked my calendar and email.<\/p>\n

I noticed a message I was waiting for, hoping for. And so I opened it.<\/p>\n

Immediately, my heart sank. The good news I anticipated turned out to be disappointing. It was not a congratulatory email; it was a rejection. Instead of \u201cyes,\u201d it was \u201cno.\u201d<\/p>\n

I started to cry. Rejection stings.<\/p>\n

I felt so incredibly hopeless. I did not really know what to do next, what to think, where to go, how to process it.<\/p>\n

And then I remembered: Jesus was waiting for me in the Adoration Chapel.<\/p>\n

Pray Anyway<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As I drove to church, I did not feel like praying. But I made a commitment to be at the chapel from 9-10 a.m. every Tuesday morning. So, someone was depending on me to take her place.<\/p>\n

Plus, Jesus was there. He was waiting for me.<\/p>\n

As I settled into the pew, I gazed at Our Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and a wave of peace washed over me. He saw me. He knew. Before I said a word, He knew it all. And He gazed upon me with love and acceptance, not rejection.<\/p>\n

As I began praying, I was led to this Scripture passage:<\/p>\n

\u2026 in him it is always \u2018Yes.\u2019 For in him every one of God\u2019s promises is a \u2018Yes.\u2019 For this reason it is through him that we say the \u2018Amen,\u2019 to the glory of God.<\/em> \/\/ 2 Corinthians 1:19-20<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

After receiving such disappointing news\u2014a definite \u201cno\u201d\u2014I turned to the Lord, and His response was \u201cyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yes to my existence.<\/p>\n

Yes to my gifts.<\/p>\n

Yes to my purpose.<\/p>\n

Yes to my belonging to Him.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026 in him it is always \u2018Yes.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Christ\u2019s Peace Surpasses Understanding<\/strong><\/h2>\n

And in that prayerful moment, I was able to surrender my disappointment to the Lord and entrust my hurt to Him. I felt peace, even in the midst of such devastating news. Even though I was uncertain about the future and God\u2019s will for me, I knew with all my heart that I belonged to Him.<\/p>\n

This experience helped me realize how important it is to pray during times of disappointment, discouragement, hopelessness, and uncertainty.<\/p>\n

Looking back, I could have responded in so many ways to my bad news. I could have spent the rest of the morning scrolling through social media, going through the drive-through line, shopping, or keeping busy with mindless activities.<\/p>\n

But all of those other coping mechanisms would have only been escapism. None of them would have brought me to the Lord<\/a>, and I certainly would not have felt His peace or heard His words of comfort and assurance.<\/p>\n

Prayer Tethers Us to Christ<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that \u201cprayer is a vital necessity.\u201d And it is especially vital when life feels hopeless.<\/p>\n

Prayer is not a magic bullet that instantly fixes our problems, changes our circumstances, or heals our sufferings. But prayer keeps us tethered to the Lord\u2014the Mighty One, the Author of Life, the Divine Physician. And when we are tethered to Him, He transforms our outlook and emotions. We remember we are not alone, as we receive His grace, hear His Word, and feel His love.<\/p>\n

Holy Mother Church Shows Us the Way<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We only need to turn to Holy Mother Church for wisdom, guidance, and encouragement in the importance of praying when prayer seems hopeless. Below is a list of Scriptures to pray, Church teachings to implement, and saintly wisdom to ponder. These treasures from Heaven remind us that when prayer feels hopeless, all we really need is to run to Jesus and entrust it (over and over) to Him.<\/p>\n

Scriptures to Pray<\/strong><\/h3>\n