had no idea what to do

What do you pray when you’re in a totally impossible situation? Do you try to figure out a strategy and tell God how He can fix things?

King Jehoshaphat shows us a much better way. The Israelites were in trouble again; a powerful enemy army was approaching. Outnumbered, outgunned and outsmarted, Jehoshaphat remembered God’s powerful victories and clung to His covenant promises.

He was totally honest with the Lord, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” Jehoshaphat couldn’t do anything but set his eyes—and his hope—on God. And then wait.

The reply he got is something we all need to hear: “The battle is not yours, but God’s.”

We don’t have to have it all together when we pray. We don’t need to have the right words—sometimes we don’t need any words. No matter what we’re going through or how well we can express it, prayer is how we hand our burdens over to the Lord. We remind ourselves of His faithfulness, tell him about our deepest fears and put our trust entirely in Him to answer.

We may not get immediate answers or guidance when we pray; but we can set our hope on God. And then march into whatever battle we face with the same battleplan as Jehoshaphat: praise.

PRAYER: Ezra 9:5-15

ANSWER: Ezra 10:1-17