My two children were preschoolers when my wife and I began teaching them a weekly memory verse. The first Bible verse they memorized (and no, it wasn’t “Jesus wept”) can also function as a suggestive and helpful prayer for every occasion and every emotion.
It differs only a little from one Bible version to another. At the time, the Bible we used for our family devotions rendered it, “When I am afraid, I will trust in You” (Psalm 56:3, NIV 1984).
Since then, I have prayed countless versions of that verse. It adapts easily and succinctly to any and every situation I encounter and every emotion I feel. Here are some examples that you can incorporate into your prayers:
Someone or something upsets you: “When I am angry, I will trust in You.”
Your schedule (or life) seems to spin out of control: “When I am stressed, I will trust in You.”
Someone offends or hurts you: “When I am hurt, I will trust in You.”
Your physical, mental or emotional resources run out: “When I am exhausted, I will trust in You.”
Comparisons with others assail you: “When I feel insecure, I will trust in You.”
You lose someone or something: “When I am grieving, I will trust in You.”
Loneliness strikes: “When I am lonely, I will trust in You.”
You’re having trouble waiting for someone or something: “When I am impatient, I will trust in You.”
Someone lashes out: “When I am under attack, I will trust in You.”
You’re confused: “When I don’t know what to do, I will trust in You.”
See how well it works? And those are just a start. This Psalm 56:3 prayer can be adapted to practically any emotion or situation. Try it, and adapt it to your need-of-the-moment, in every moment.
