Make Your Requests Known to God - Encouragement for Today - August 10, 2026

Encouragement for Today

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Glenna Marshall August 10, 2026

Make Your Requests Known to God
Glenna Marshall

“Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord” (2 Kings 19:14, ESV).

Taking our requests to God in prayer often feels like a relief when we’re at a loss for wisdom. But sometimes, when our points of pain or grief are difficult to bear, it’s hard to know how to pray.

I’ve spent the last 16 years living with a chronic pain disease. My bones and joints hurt much more than they should at 45 years old, but the disease that rages in my body is no respecter of age. It just hurts. Learning to pray while dealing with pain has been challenging.

In Scripture, God commands us to pray, but He also provides vivid stories that illustrate how to pray when life is hard. In 2 Kings 19, King Hezekiah faced devastating news about the safety of his kingdom, Judah. The letter from Hezekiah’s enemies included plans for Judah’s ruin and could have paralyzed him with fear. But he took the plan for his people’s demise and spread it out before God. Then he prayed.

“Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord …” (2 Kings 19:14-15, ESV).

Have you ever put your request before the Lord as Hezekiah did? He didn’t try to develop a frantic plan on his own, as we often do in anxious moments of fear or pain. Rather, Hezekiah humbly laid out the source of his fear before the Lord and prayed in accordance with God’s sovereign power, trusting He would do what was best (2 Kings 19:15). God responded by defending Judah and striking down the Assyrian army (2 Kings 19:20-37).

The future, eternal King of Judah, Jesus, would not only die to reconcile us to God but also give us free access to the Father so that we can pray anytime about anything (Hebrews 10:19).

Recently, on a night of severe pain, I remembered Hezekiah’s prayer, and I followed in his footsteps, making my request known to God because, in Christ, I know the Lord hears my prayers. In my journal, I penned my fearful thoughts, gritting my teeth through the pain in my spine and hip. I simply asked the Lord to help me. He was the only One who could see my suffering in the middle of the night.

My pain didn’t disappear, but I knew the Lord was with me as I prayed. God heard Hezekiah’s prayer, and because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can have confidence that He hears our prayers too. Taking our suffering to Him is how we entrust our pain to Him, knowing He has the power to work all things for good.

Lord, thanks for hearing our prayers. Help us to turn our hearts to You in prayer every time we feel pain, grief, loss, or temptation, knowing that You hear us and are committed to our good. In Jesus’ name, amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS
It can be difficult to pray when God hasn’t answered your prayers for physical healing. In Glenna Marshall’s new book, P raying in Pain, you’ll learn to walk the path of Scripture’s lament prayers while growing in your understanding of how God uses pain for His good purposes. If you suffer from a chronic condition, this book is for you. Get it here!

ENGAGE
You can connect with Glenna by signing up for her monthly newsletter, where she shares her writing, book and music recommendations, recipes, products she’s enjoyed, and much more!

Enter to WIN your very own copy of Praying in Pain by Glenna Marshall. To celebrate this book, Glenna’s publisher will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by filling out the form here. {We’ll randomly select 5 winners and notify them via email by Monday, August 17, 2026.}

FOR DEEPER STUDY
Hebrews 7:25, “Consequently, [Jesus] is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (ESV).

How does the fact that Jesus is praying for you change the way you pray to the Father?

If you’ve been feeling stuck in prayer, how could you pray differently about your source of pain or suffering? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org