A Way of Prayer for When You Are Feeling Overwhelmed | When We Don’t Know What to Do | 2 Chronicles 20:12-15 Teaching Sermon

Have you ever whispered, “God, I don’t even know what to pray anymore, or if I can even keep praying on this anymore”—because everything feels too heavy, too confusing, too much? Maybe you're staring at a situation that’s out of your hands... and out of your control. If that’s where you are today, this episode is for you. We're going to sit with one powerful verse, and I’m going to show you a simple prayer practice

that can help you breathe again—even when the overwhelm seems to be too much.

Welcome back to Faith & Soul Care, the place where we anchor our hearts in truth, slow down for soul-deep peace, and reconnect with God right in the middle of our real, beautiful, and sometimes messy lives. I’m your host, Sherry Elaine.

Today I want to speak directly to the woman who feels overwhelmed.

Maybe you’re holding too many pieces together. Or maybe you’ve hit that wall—emotionally, spiritually, or physically—and you don’t know how to move forward. You’ve prayed, you’ve tried everything, you’ve cried. And still... things feel heavy.

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I’ve been there too. I’m have some things right now that I am so worried about and do not know what to do, or if I should do anything at all. And I want to offer you two things today: the first is a verse for your overwhelmed heart, and the second is a simple but powerful prayer practice that can bring peace right where you are.

Let’s begin with a Scripture that can carry us through seasons of uncertainty. It’s from 2 Chronicles chapter 20. The people of Judah are surrounded by armies, outnumbered, and out of strength. King Jehoshaphat prays before the Lord, and he says this:

“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”
— 2 Chronicles 20:12

Wow - Isn’t that the most honest prayer? It’s not polished or perfect. It doesn’t even have a plan. It simply says: I don’t know what to do. But God, I’m looking at You.

That’s what faith looks like when we’re overwhelmed. Not having the answers. Not knowing the outcome. But fixing our eyes on the One who does.

Now, I want to share a prayer practice that’s helped me stay grounded in seasons when life felt like too much. It’s simple, but it’s powerful. At the end of my prayers, after I’ve poured out my heart and asked God for the outcome that I want, I then pray something like this -

“Lord, these are my requests. These are the things I think would be best. I’ve requested  the outcomes I hope for. But I release them to You. I trust You to accomplish what You know is best.”

It’s a way of letting go—without giving up. It’s a surrender that says, “God, I believe that You see the full picture. And even if it doesn’t turn out the way I asked, I trust that You are still working all things for good. And that Your way is best, even if it doesn’t seem so at first.”

You see, when we hold on too tightly to our prayers being answered in a certain way - we unintentionally carry burdens we were never meant to hold. We start thinking it’s all up to us—or even that we have to pray for the right outcome and it’s the only outcome that God could want too. When we are looking for just one way of a response, we may miss seeing the other ways that God is working in the situation.

But when we pray, “Not my will but Yours,” we loosen our grip. We let go; and we let God step in. We move from controlling to trusting.

That moment in 2 Chronicles ends beautifully. After the people pray and admit they don’t know what to do, they just stand there. Waiting. Watching.

And here’s what God tells them:

“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
— 2 Chronicles 20:15

So if you feel overwhelmed today, I want to remind you: the battle is not yours alone. You are not meant to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. You are not even meant to carry the weight of your own problems on your shoulders, or the problems of your loved ones or friends.  And you don’t have to figure it all out. You simply have to keep your eyes on Him.

I do like, the way it is phrased also.  Keep our eyes on you Lord. It’s not just waiting for you, Lord. It’s keeping our eyes on Him. So not only are we waiting but we are waiting expectantly, watching for His movement in the situation.

So here’s what I want you to try this week. When you pray, be honest about your needs. And you wants for how those needs could be resolved. Be specific. God welcomes your details. Tell Him the situation, your fears, your hopes, your heartaches.

And then, at the end of your prayer, just say something like this:

“God, I’ve told you what I want. I’ve shared my heart. But now I release the outcome to You. I trust You to do what’s best, even if it looks different than what I asked. I fix my eyes on You.”

It’s amazing what happens when we learn to let go of our requests for the outcome. The situation might not change immediately—but we begin to change. We experience peace. We remember who is really in control. And our souls can finally relax.

If this episode encouraged you today, I’d love for you to share it with a friend who might be feeling the same. And if you want to go deeper in soul care practices like this one, be sure to join my free Renew & Restore Soul Care Retreat—you’ll find the link in the show notes.

Until next time, remember: even when life feels overwhelming, God’s love is steady, His presence is near, and He is able to carry it all.

You just have to keep our eyes on Him.

Gratefully,

Sherry

 

More Resources:

Join the author's Facebook group for the upcoming online Renew and Revive Retreat for Soul Care:

New! Prayer and Reflection Journal I Designed! I love how the journal turned out! It has all I need for prayer tracking and reflections and re-setting my mind with struggles I am facing. 

If you would like to learn simple, practical ways to walk with God every single day, then you would really enjoy Closer to God: Simple Methods, Starting Today


If you need motivation to eat healthier or lose weight while also growing  closer to God, then you would enjoy Weight Loss for Christians, An Extraordinarily Simple Way to Conquer Cravings


If you want to learn more deeply and fully about what Jesus taught, then you would enjoy Words of Jesus - Bible Study on Christ's Teachings



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Sherry Elaine - Books Authored



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