God, Please Help
“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6, ESV).
After a long day of parenting my five kids the best I knew how, I reached for the lamp on my nightstand and turned off the light.
Deep into the night, I was jolted awake.
There was no sound that startled me, no child running to my side for help. What woke me up was the heavy burden on my heart to help one of my children with the anxiety he battled every day. I uttered the prayer: God, please help!
Tears still come to my eyes as I think back on that moment. I imagine you’ve had your own “God, please help” moments. This one was a turning point in my anxiety and in my family. Through this prayer, my perspective shifted from "I can’t do this" to "only God can do this."
Today I also think of Philippians 4:6, and my heart is both challenged and encouraged: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
This reminds me that I can ask God for help with anything at any time, even the anxiety in my family. Nothing is too big or too complicated for God. No relationship, financial concern, health problem, or seemingly impossible crisis is beyond His power to soothe, comfort, fix, change, or work through. God holds the power in every impossible situation, even the heavy burden that woke me up in the middle of the night.
I began praying over and with my child about the anxiety we both wrestled with. We got a front-row seat to a miracle unfolding. Little by little, we began to turn to God in moments of chaos. And little by little, chaotic moments turned into calm miracles.
One of the miraculous moments of our journey came after I prayed over my child one night, and his deep, dark eyes lifted and looked into mine. “Mom, can I pray?”
I swallowed hard and tried to hold back the tears. “Yes.” His words filled the room. Time seemed to pause. His prayer was the miracle we had been pleading with God for, the peace we needed.
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7, ESV).
When I first asked God to help, I didn’t really know what we needed. But God did. He helped my child learn to pray for himself, and that changed everything for both of us.
If you find yourself in a difficult season, don’t lose heart. I want to encourage you to borrow the short prayer that changed everything for me and my child: God, please help. Let God lift the anxiety and work in the stillness of your surrendered heart or the heart of someone you deeply love.
God, please help me in my impossible situation. I know I can’t, but I know You can. In Jesus’ name, amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
Anxiety does not have to rule your heart or your home. In Calming Your Anxious Child: A Biblical Game Plan for Parenting Through Big Emotions, Micah Maddox offers a compassionate blend of biblical Truth, practical tools, and prayerful encouragement for loving and parenting children through fear and anxiety. Discover hope for the hard moments, and get your copy today.
ENGAGE
You can connect with Micah Maddox on Instagram or hop over to her website for free resources and activities to try with your anxious child today!
FOR DEEPER STUDY
1 Peter 5:7, “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (ESV).
What is one “God, please help” prayer you need to pray today? Share with us in the comments!
Proverbs 31 Ministries
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www.Proverbs31.org
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