Monthly Archives: April 2026

When They Can’t Pray, You Can

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Matt and I spent a few hours recently with a family that’s going through a difficult situation. As we listened and heard multiple family members share, we got a glimpse into the burdens they were carrying…and it was a lot. There were so many things at play, and most of it was out of their control. Some things and people had “happened” to them, and they were reeling from all of it. And we did as well. What they told us wasn’t right; it was wrong. They’d been dealt with wrongly, and yet, there was nothing they could do in this hopeless case.

Hopeless Situations

Have you ever had people “happen” to you? It’s not pretty. Maybe you’ve been racially profiled, you’ve been accused of something you didn’t do, somebody’s made a wrong judgement about you, somebody’s said something to you that was so hurtful and wrong. Or maybe, it’s an event or a happening. Something happened to you. It’s not your fault, and yet, you’re living with the consequences of that event.

Sometimes, in these situations, we are tempted to believe there is no hope. We get sucked into the mindset that this situation can never be turned around, that no good can come from it.

Job’s Hopelessness

Job felt the same hopelessness in his situation. Satan took everything away from him–his wealth, his children, his health, and his hope. When his friends come to comfort him, the Bible says they sat in silence for an entire week because Job’s suffering was so great.

The family we talked to may not have been facing what Job is facing, but Matt and I felt the burdens this family was carrying…the impossibility of the situation. There’s was a case, literally a court case, where everything was stacked against them, even the judge. I felt so overwhelmed that night when we went home. I had no idea what to do for them. I felt the injustice of it all. And then God reminded me that He is still in control and that He is actively working everything for our good.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Romans 8L28 NLT

Job’s Situation

I couldn’t help but think about that family this week when I was reading in the book of Job for my morning time. Job’s been through the worst that can happen. He has these words to say about his situation.

What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true.

Job 3:25 NLT

His three friends come to comfort him, and they are absolutely no help. In fact, he calls them out on it, saying this about them.

 Then Job answered:

 I have heard many things like these.
You are all miserable comforters.

Job 16:1-2 CSB

Someone to Plead with God

As the chapter goes on, Job adds this thought. It’s more of a wish or a prayer.

I wish that someone might argue for a man with God
just as anyone would for a friend.

Job 16:21 CSB

Job speaks here of wanting someone that could go toe to toe with God and plead the case of a friend. We know that we have someone in Heaven that does that for us, and His name is Jesus. He pleads our case before the Father. But there are others who can plead our cases as well.

Someone to Pray on Your Behalf

Have you ever had someone pray for you, like really pray for you? Maybe it was a pastor or a spiritual leader, maybe it was an older woman of faith…whoever it was, you just knew that God was listening when they were praying. James reminds us that the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power with God.

…The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

James 5:16

That night when we left the house of that family, I felt so burdened down by all we had heard. But I remembered the power that God has, and I know that a single touch of His hand on this family would make everything turn out for good. So, I prayed for them. I prayed for the decisions they needed to make; I prayed for the court case and for the judge. I prayed fervently on their behalf.

Somebody Needs You

There have been a few times personally in our lives that somebody has prayed over us and for us, times when we couldn’t pray or didn’t feel like we were getting through to God. I don’t pretend to know how it works, but I believe there are times in our lives where there is literally nothing we can do. In those times, we need someone to take up the mantle for us, someone else to have the faith that we don’t have in this moment–someone who is outside the situation who can cry out to God for us and plead with God on our behalf.

When was the last time you were this for someone else? It’s so easy to get wrapped up in our own troubles, burdens, and heartbreaks. And yet, there may be someone near you right now that is barely standing. Their faith is failing as their world crumbles around them, and they need you to pray for them. They need to pray earnestly on their behalf and plead their case before God. That may be the greatest ministry you can ever have.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post, Never Give Up Praying. A great book to read is The Circle Maker by Mark Patterson.

Don’t Walk Away Yet

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Have you ever been at a point in your life where you think it’s time to walk away? You feel like God is done with the part of your life and it’s time to move on.

Many of us have times like this, and it’s hard to know if we’re supposed to stick it out or if it’s time to move on. We’ve been at both places during different times of our lives. We’ve had times where we needed to stick it out and times when it was right for us to walk away. There’s some encouragement found for us in the small book of Esther about not walking away quite yet.

Esther Study

I just finished reading the book of Esther. Esther is always a fascinating study. If you’re interested in the book of Esther, The Daily Grace Co. has a great Esther study that I’ve done and loved. There are so many great takeaways from the book of Esther. One that has stayed with me comes from chapter four.

Esther learns about the plot by evil Haman to destroy the Jews. Mordecai comes to her and tells her what she needs to do. She needs to go before the king and ask him to save their people. This is where her famous reply comes into play.

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.”

Esther 4:15,16

God Will Find Someone to Work Through

But right before these infamous verses, Mordecai says something so interesting. I’ve read it before, but it caught and held my attention this time. He says this to Esther:

Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

Esther 4:13,14

We know these verses well. There are movies and books based on the phrase, “for just a time as this.” But I want to draw our attention to the phrase before that. Mordecai says these words, “If you keep quiet, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise form some other place.”

Mordecai essentially was saying, “You can sit back and do nothing, and God will still find a way to work. He will work with or without you.” Now, there will be consequences. He tells her that she and her relatives will most likely die. But he says she doesn’t have to do this; if she chooses not to, God will find somebody else.

Don’t Let God Use Somebody Else

This is such a powerful thought that I think so many of us forget. We do have a free will. God will never force us to do anything. We don’t have to do what God has for us, but if we don’t, God will use somebody else. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want God to use somebody else. I want Him to use me. I want to be a part of the great things He has in store for my family, my kids, my church family, my neighbors, and those people I haven’t even met yet.

I think about our church. I don’t have to stay faithful. I can give up and move on. But with that, I have to remember that God will still work. He will work in our church family with or without me. I can choose to be apart of it and let God use me, or I can walk away and let Him use somebody else. But I haven’t put in fifteen years to walk away now and let God use somebody else. So, we stay and we continue to allow God to work and use us.

Don’t Walk Away Just Yet

What do you have in your life that you’re considering walking away from? You can. You have the right to. But what will you miss out on if you walk away now? Who else will God use if He can no longer use you? I don’t want God to use someone else. I want Him to use me, and I want Him to use you. So, let’s choose today to stay faithful, to stick it out, to not give up on what God is doing. Who knows? Your breakthrough might be just around the corner, and you will miss out on all God has in store if you walk away now.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post, Don’t Give Up on the Dream God Has Given You. A great book to read is Breakthrough: Transforming the Death of a Dream to the Birth of a Breakthrough.

Hope Again

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“Peter, do you love me unconditionally, without pretension? Do you love me more than you love these?” Jesus asks, pointing to the fish they were feasting on (Jn 21:15). Peter responds, “Lord, you know I’m fond of you as a friend.”   

No More Than a Friend 

Wait, hold it. What?    

Where’s the “Call me out of the boat,” “You are the Christ,” “I’m the Rock (not Dwayne Johnson),” “You won’t go to the cross,” “Wash me head to toe,” “I would never deny. I would die for you,” over-promising, under-delivering Peter we’vecome to know? Somewhere between the courtyard denial and the seaside breakfast, Peter changed. The pain of not being first to speak, first to fight, first to lead, first at anything, gave way to the pain of not being able to follow through. Peter could have easily had his own morning radio show: “The Big Talker, Simon Peter, on radio station WWJD.” That Peter was gone.

He knew better than to exaggerate, over-promise, and over-brag in any given situation. Peter saw himself for the fraud he was or tended to be at times. He could talk a good game, but he couldn’t follow through. Peter was well aware of his glaring weakness. Jesus knew this, too. Jesus also knew Peter needed to know everything was okay. Peter needed to know Jesus still loved him. Peter needed to know there was still room for him at the table.   

Jesus and Peter

Jesus knew all that, and pushes into Peter’s plight ever so gently. All Jesus needs to know is “Peter, are you willing to trust? Are you willing to try this again?”  

“Good, Peter. I want you to keep a watchful eye on these guys.”   

Then Jesus leans in a little closer and asks a second time, “Peter, can I ask you another question? Do you love me unconditionally?” (Jn 21:16).  

  Peter responds, “Lord, I am fond of you as best a friend could be fond of his friend.”   

“Then I want to you step up and lead and guide my followers at large,” Jesus said.   

One final time, Jesus pushes as close as he could with Peter. “Peter, do you even like me? Are you truly fond of me as a friend?” (Jn 21:17).  

Peter’s Pain

 This final time, Peter realizes what Jesus is getting at. He feels the sting and pain of what unfolded over the last several weeks. This meeting with Jesus was the third time he’d appeared to the men. The first time was the day of the resurrection, the second was the following Sunday with Thomas. Now this day. It was at least more than a week since Peter denied his friend and leader, Jesus. Enough time had passed for Peter to work through all that had happened. As with any broken friendship, Peter wasn’t sure if Jesus would take him back.   

The Restoration of a Friendship 

Here they stood, eye to eye, making sense of how far they’d come. Peter had denied. Jesus had died. Peter hoped for a second chance, and Jesus was offering Peter a second chance. But Peter didn’t know if he could trust himself. He knew his weakness to look the part but not live out his commitment.   

He says as much to Jesus. “Lord, you know me. You knew I would deny you because you know everything. You know I’m fond of you. I can’t commit to loving you unconditionally, because when the conditions got tough, I bailed on you. I denied you. But you do know that I’m fond of you because I wouldn’t have come this far. I didn’t dive out of the boat just to have breakfast. I dove out of the boat to come to see you, to follow you.”  

Jesus’ Restoration of Peter

I don’t think the three questions of “Do you love me?” were lost on Peter. He denied Jesus three times. Then he verbally committed his love and loyalty to Jesus three times. I think Jesus purposely did this in front of the others, as well. Peter publicly denied Jesus. Jesus publicly restored Peter.   

That’s exactly what Jesus wanted to hear. “Peter, teach and guide my followers from this point on.” Jesus was affirming the one he had nicknamed the “Rock.” He told Peter who he was—a mentor, a leader, a teacher. All those roles Jesus had filled for the last three-years—Jesus passed the torch to Peter. Even with Peter’s massive failure of denial, Jesus was willing to work with him. His denial of Jesus was his setback. It wasn’t until Peter saw his setback that he stopped trying to compensate for what he thought he lacked.  

We overcompensate all the time. We masquerade through life, trying to prove our worth by our silence, exuberance, arrogance, achievement, or self-righteous idealism. All these labels are self-imposed. Jesus came to remove labels and show us love. You don’t need a label to hide behind when you know you are loved. Peter needed no more labels. He knew he was loved. Peter no longer tried to prove who he was; he now knew who he was—Jesus’ friend and follower. Jesus doesn’t invite us to positions and traditions. Jesus invites us into a relationship with Him.   

A Relationship with Jesus

A relationship is more than information about Jesus; it’s a relationship is a connection with Jesus. What information do you know? You know you’ve messed up. Your hope was crushed; you quit too soon. You know you held on to hurt instead of hope. Put aside what you know about you. Step into who you know—the one who knows you, Jesus. You can be well known to a world that will give you ten minutes of fame, or you can be known well by the one who calls your name.   

Who You Are

When you know that who you are is not found in what you do, you can step into who Jesus says you are. Attempting to find our value in what we do always leaves us empty and asking for more. The respect, acceptance, approval, and attention Peter longed for was going to be the very thing he gave to those he mentored, led, and fed. I am living out who God created me to be and following Jesus the best when I give to others what I long to receive in my own life. The switch must flip from seeking people to fix and fulfill us; our calling is to fill others with what Jesus has filled us with—his love.   

Which Do You Choose? 

Some people are released. Some people are restored. Jesus released Judas, but he restored Peter. Restoration is offered to you and me. All Jesus wants to know is if we are willing to dive in and follow him. No matter what’s happened in our past, no matter the hurt of our pain, and no matter what the future holds, Jesus can restore our hope.   

*This post is an excerpt from Matt’s book, Six Days to Sunday: Turn Setbacks Into Comebacks.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post, Believe Again: Easter Hope for Everyday Faith.