A few years ago, I heard someone say something that stayed with me.
He said, “Sometimes, the most difficult prayer to pray is not ‘Lord, bless me.’ It is ‘Lord, help me trust You when nothing seems to be changing.’”
Think about that for a moment.
It is easy to pray when things are working.
When the business is growing.
When the money is coming.
When your family is doing well.
When your prayers seem to be getting answered almost immediately.
But what happens when you have prayed and prayed, and nothing seems to change?
What happens when you do everything you know to do, yet your situation keeps getting worse?
What happens when you look around and begin to wonder:
“God, where are You in all of this?”
That is where the story of Job becomes very important.
Job was not a man who didn’t know God.
The Bible describes him as a man who was upright and feared God.
Yet, in a very short period of time, Job experienced losses that could have broken anyone.
His wealth was destroyed.
His children died.
His health was attacked.
His relationships became painful.
And to make matters worse, the people around him began to interpret his suffering as evidence that he must have done something terribly wrong.
Imagine being faithful to God and still going through a season you cannot explain.
That part of Job’s story is important because there are people reading this who are in a similar season.
You are praying.
You are believing God.
You are trying to remain faithful.
But things are not looking like what you prayed for.
Maybe it is your finances.
Maybe it is your business.
Maybe it is your marriage.
Maybe it is your career.
Maybe you have been waiting for a child.
Maybe you have been praying for healing.
Maybe there is a door you have been asking God to open for a very long time.
And because the answer has delayed, you are beginning to ask questions.
“How long, Lord?”
I want you to notice something about Job.
His story did not end with his suffering.
There was a chapter after the pain.
There was a chapter after the losses.
There was a chapter after the questions.
There was restoration.
The Bible says:
> “And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job…”
Job 42:10.
That verse is powerful.
Because it reminds us that a difficult season is not necessarily the final chapter of your life.
What you are experiencing today may be real.
The pain may be real.
The disappointment may be real.
The tears may be real.
But that does not mean God has finished writing your story.
And this is where I believe many people need to change the way they pray during difficult seasons.
Don’t only pray:
“Lord, take this problem away.”
Learn to pray:
“Lord, strengthen me while I walk through this.”
Don’t only pray:
“Lord, give me the breakthrough.”
Pray:
“Lord, give me the wisdom to recognize what You are doing in this season.”
Don’t only pray:
“Lord, restore what I lost.”
Pray:
“Lord, restore me first. Restore my faith. Restore my peace. Restore my strength. Restore my hope.”
Because sometimes, before God changes the situation around you, He begins to work on what is happening inside you.
WHAT TO DO IN DIFFICULT SEASON
There are 3 things we can learn from Job about praying during a difficult season.
1 — Keep talking to God
Job complained.
Job asked questions.
Job expressed his pain.
But he kept bringing everything to God.
Your difficult season should not make you run away from God.
If anything, let it push you closer.
You don’t have to pretend before God.
Tell Him when you are tired.
Tell Him when you are confused.
Tell Him when you are afraid.
Tell Him when you don’t understand what He is doing.
2 — Don’t allow your present situation to define your future
Job’s friends looked at his condition and concluded that his story was over.
They were wrong.
This is something you need to remember.
People can look at your current situation and conclude that nothing good can come from your life.
Don’t join them.
A bad season is a season.
It is not your identity.
It is not your destiny.
It is not the conclusion of your story.
3 — Pray with expectation
Job eventually came out of his season of suffering.
And his restoration was not merely about getting back what he lost.
God gave him a new chapter.
Sometimes, when you are in the middle of trouble, you cannot imagine what life will look like after it.
But God can.
You may not see the way out.
God does.
You may not know how the story will end.
God does.
So keep praying.
Keep believing.
Keep standing on God’s Word.
And keep trusting Him even when you don’t understand the process.
If you are currently passing through a difficult season, I want you to pray this simple prayer today:
“Father, I may not understand what I am going through, but I choose to trust You. Strengthen me in this season. Restore everything that has been lost according to Your will. Restore my peace, restore my joy, restore my hope, and lead me into the new chapter You have prepared for me. Let this difficult season not destroy me. Let it become a testimony of Your faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
And remember this: Job had a chapter of pain, but pain was not the end of his story.
Your current chapter may be difficult.
But don’t be too quick to conclude that God has finished with you.
There may still be a Job 42:10 waiting in your story.
If you are believing God for restoration in any area of your life, type “LORD, RESTORE ME” in the comments.
And if you know someone who is currently going through a difficult season, share this with them.
Sometimes, one word of encouragement is enough to help someone hold on for another day.
God is still writing your story.
Your brother,
Olayinka Joseph
