A Prayer to See New Possibilities When You Feel Stuck - Your Daily Prayer - April 24

A Prayer to See New Possibilities When You Feel Stuck
By: Whitney Hopler

Bible Reading:
“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” – Jeremiah 32:17, NIV 

Listen or Read Below:

Are you going through a time right now where you feel stuck? Maybe you’ve been searching for a solution to a problem for a long time, but you still can’t solve it. You may be trying to change a relationship or your circumstances for the better, but nothing seems to change. Or, maybe you’re hoping for a new opportunity or a fresh idea, but you’re still waiting. When you feel stuck, it’s easy to believe that you’ve reached the end of what’s possible. 

Jeremiah 32:17 has good news for you. God – the powerful Creator of heaven and earth – can do anything! Nothing is too hard for God. Since God made everything in creation, he can help you in your current situation, no matter how complicated or overwhelming it feels. 

You can start to see new possibilities when you remember who God is. The same God who designed stars, oceans, and human minds is still at work today. He’s not intimidated by obstacles, and his power is stronger than the obstacles you face. There are no limits to God’s love or to his power. God loves you completely and unconditionally, and he’s willing to use his unlimited power to help you get unstuck and move forward well. 

New possibilities don’t always come into your life as dramatic breakthroughs. Sometimes they come in subtle yet still significant ways, like a fresh perspective or a nudge to try something different. God sometimes works in ways that stretch your thinking by challenging you to trust him beyond what feels comfortable, or even logical. 

When you face uncertainty, your first instinct may be to focus on what you can’t do or don’t have. But Jeremiah’s prayer turns your attention back to God’s unlimited power instead of your limited human power. When you focus first on God’s greatness, you can see your problems from a proper perspective. They’re still real, but they’re no longer too big to solve, because they’re much smaller than God’s power to help you. 

Trusting God with new possibilities also involves asking for God’s guidance along the way. God doesn’t expect you to figure everything out on your own. He invites you to come to him with all of your questions. You can ask God to help you make the best decisions for every step of the process of moving forward. You can also ask God for encouragement. The more you pray to see new possibilities, the more faith will overcome fear in your life. 

It’s also important to remember that God’s timing may look different from yours. Even though you may want answers right now, God may be shaping your character, patience, or faith while you wait. Even then, new possibilities are forming beneath the surface of what you can see. God is always at work, even when you can’t yet see the results. 

Creativity is another way God brings new possibilities into your life. A new idea, a different approach, or a fresh solution to a problem can be God’s way of opening a door. When you invite God into your thinking, he can help you imagine what’s next. That can lead you to solve a problem at work, find a new way to heal a relationship, discover a call to serve as a volunteer that you hadn’t considered before, or another wonderful breakthrough. 

What’s most important for you to see new possibilities is hope. Stay hopeful that God will help you get unstuck and move forward in the best ways, at the best time. When you trust God to handle what seems impossible, you make room for God to move in ways that may surprise you. God can do what you can’t do. 

So, if you’re feeling stuck, ask the God who made the heavens and the earth to help you see what you can’t see yet. New possibilities may be closer than you think!

Let’s Pray:

Dear God, you’re the Creator of heaven and earth, and your love and power are unlimited. You see my situation clearly, and you know where I feel stuck. I admit that sometimes I focus more on my problems than on your greatness. Help me trust you to bring new possibilities into my life. Open my eyes to see solutions, ideas, and opportunities that I might be missing. When I don’t know what to do next, guide me step by step.

When I feel overwhelmed, remind me that nothing is too hard for you. Give me encouragement when the uncertainty is stressful, and patience when your answers don’t come to me right away. Help me listen for your direction and be willing to move forward when you lead, even if it’s uncomfortable for me. I trust that you’re at work, creating something new. Thank you for walking with me and for leading me toward new possibilities. Amen.

Join the conversation! Share how today’s devotional spoke to you on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/klenova 

Whitney Hopler helps people discover God's wonder and experience awe. She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory. Whitney has served as an editor at leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She currently leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Connect with Whitney on her website at www.whitneyhopler.com and on her Facebook author page.

Related Resource: A Prayer for When You Feel Spiritually Tired

There is a particular kind of exhaustion that has nothing to do with how much sleep you got last night. It's the weariness that settles into your soul when you've been going hard for a long time — when prayer feels hollow, worship feels distant, and you find yourself sitting in church thinking about everything except what's being said. If that's where you are tonight, this episode was written for you. If you like what you hear, follow Your Nightly Prayer on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!