How to Pray When You Feel Like Giving Up: 5 Day Devotional

This devotional is designed to help you pray and connect with God when life feels overwhelming. Each day will focus on one of the five steps to praying when you want to give up. These steps are practical ways to engage with God’s presence, find His strength, and align your heart with His will. Spend 10–15 minutes each day reading, reflecting, praying, and journaling, allowing God to meet you where you are and transform your heart.

This devotional is based off the sermon How to Pray When You Want to Give Up.

Day 1: Pray Honestly

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:7-8
"Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me."

Reflection:
Paul’s prayer wasn’t polished or restrained—it was raw and urgent. He pleaded with God to remove his thorn, fully transparent about his struggle. Jesus, too, in the Garden of Gethsemane, prayed honestly, saying, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.”

Honest prayer is an act of trust. It’s bringing your unfiltered emotions—your fears, doubts, and frustrations—to God, knowing He can handle them. Too often, we think we have to present a polished version of ourselves to God, but the truth is, He already knows our hearts. When we pray honestly, we invite God into the depths of our pain and struggle, opening the door for His healing and strength.

What are you holding back from God today? He is ready to meet you in your honesty.

Questions for Reflection:

1. What burdens or struggles have you been hesitant to bring to God?

2. How does knowing that God invites honesty in prayer change how you approach Him?

3. How can you make honesty a daily part of your prayers?

Prayer:
“Father, I come to You with everything I’m feeling. Here are my fears, frustrations, and struggles… [share your heart]. Thank You for loving me as I am and for inviting me to be honest with You. Amen.”

Journal:
Write a prayer that expresses how you’re feeling right now, without holding back.

Act:
Set aside 10 minutes today to speak to God out loud, sharing your struggles and emotions as if talking to a close friend.

Day 2: Pray Dependently

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:9
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Reflection:
When Paul begged God to remove his thorn, God’s response wasn’t to take it away but to promise grace. His grace isn’t a one-time gift; it’s the daily strength to sustain us in our weakness. Dependence on God means shifting your focus from what you can’t control to the God who is fully in control.

We often strive to handle our struggles on our own, but God invites us to lean into His power. His grace doesn’t just help you survive—it empowers you to thrive. Dependence on God is not weakness; it’s an acknowledgment that His strength is greater than anything we face.

Questions for Reflection:

1. What is a struggle in your life that feels too big to handle on your own?

2. How can you lean into God’s grace instead of trying to push through in your strength?

3. What does it mean to trust God’s power in your weakness?

Prayer:
“Lord, I don’t have the strength to handle this on my own, but I trust Your promise that Your grace is sufficient for me. Help me to depend on You and rely on Your power today. Amen.”

Journal:
Write about a situation where you’ve seen God’s grace sustain you. How can that reminder encourage you now?

Act:
Identify one challenge you’re facing today and pray, “God, I depend on Your grace for this.”

Day 3: Pray Surrendered

Scripture: Matthew 26:39
"My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will."

Reflection:
Surrendering to God’s will isn’t giving up—it’s giving over. It’s trusting that His plan is better, even when it doesn’t align with what we want. Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane shows us what surrender looks like: honest desires laid before God, followed by a willingness to trust His will.

Surrender is a daily decision to let go of control and trust God’s character. It’s saying, “God, I may not understand, but I know You do.” In surrender, we find peace—a peace that comes not from changed circumstances but from trusting the One who holds all things in His hands.

Questions for Reflection:

1. What area of your life are you struggling to surrender to God?

2. How can trusting God’s will bring you peace today?

3. What step can you take to release control and let God lead?

Prayer:
“Father, I surrender this situation to You… [name your struggle]. I trust that Your plan is better than mine. Help me to release control and find peace in Your will. Amen.”

Journal:
Write about an area of your life you need to surrender to God. Reflect on how trusting Him could bring freedom.

Act:
Take a symbolic action of surrender today—write your burden on paper and place it before a Bible or cross, physically representing giving it to God.

Day 4: Pray Persistently

Scripture: Matthew 26:44
"He prayed the third time, saying the same thing."

Reflection:
Persistence in prayer is not about nagging God; it’s about staying connected to Him. Both Jesus and Paul prayed multiple times, showing us the importance of returning to God with our burdens. Persistent prayer keeps us focused on Him and builds our faith as we trust His timing.

It’s tempting to give up when we don’t see immediate answers, but persistence deepens our dependence on God. Each prayer is a step closer to His heart. Trust that He hears you, even when the answer hasn’t come yet.

Questions for Reflection:

1. What prayer have you stopped praying because you haven’t seen results?

2. How can persistence in prayer strengthen your faith?

3. What does it mean to trust God’s timing in your life?

Prayer:
“Lord, I bring this need to You again. Help me to trust that You’re working, even when I can’t see it. Strengthen my faith and help me to keep praying persistently. Amen.”

Journal:
Write about a prayer you’ve been waiting to see answered. Recommit it to God, trusting His timing.

Act:
Set a daily reminder on your phone to pray persistently about one specific burden this week.

Day 5: Pray Expectantly

Scripture: Matthew 26:46
"Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer."

Reflection:
Prayer may not always change your circumstances, but it changes you. After praying in the Garden, Jesus rose with confidence, ready to face the cross. Paul, too, found that while the thorn remained, his heart was filled with God’s power and peace.

Praying expectantly means believing that God is working, even when the outcome isn’t what you hoped. It’s trusting that He’s shaping you through the process and that His plans are for your good. Expectancy turns prayer into an act of faith, believing that God’s presence, grace, and power are enough for whatever lies ahead.

Questions for Reflection:

1. How has prayer changed your perspective in difficult times?

2. What does it mean to trust God’s plan, even when it’s hard to see?

3. How can you live today with confidence in God’s presence?

Prayer:
“Father, thank You for the way prayer strengthens and changes me. Help me to trust You more deeply and to walk forward with confidence, knowing You are with me. Amen.”

Journal:
Reflect on how prayer has shaped your heart this week. Write about how you’ll carry these lessons forward.

Act:
Take a step of faith today—encourage someone else by sharing how prayer has impacted your life.