Let Us Pray

40 Days of Prayer & the Struggle of Uncomfortable Dependence

In my distress I called to the Lord;

    I cried to my God for help.

From his temple he heard my voice;

    my cry came before him, into his ears. –Psalm 18:6

If you read the Psalms—and I suggest you turn to them as a daily guide for your prayer life—you’ll see that Psalmists aren’t afraid to cry to God for help (Psalm 88:13, 102:1). Like a young child who just fell off their bike for the first time, there is no shame as they come running to their father with their hands lifted high. 

But in our perceived strength and wisdom, asking for help is humbling, and therefore difficult. We’re slow to ask for help (Proverbs 18:1) because asking for help is a gut punch to our pride. Our first instinct is to resist such a move and instead try to find some other way to keep intact the mirage of our sovereign control.

But at some point, we must all surrender. We are not in control. We are not sovereign. 

Coming to this breaking point is not failure. In fact, if handled correctly it could be the catalyst for spiritual growth. Breaking points can become invitations to draw near to God in a new way. 

Dear friend, do you see it? In your moment of weakness, God Almighty is gently standing by waiting for you—waiting for us—to come to Him for rescuing help. 

God rescued Israel from the tyranny of the Egyptians (Exodus 14). God rescued David from the attacks of Saul (2 Samuel 22). And God sent Christ to rescue us from the judgment of our sin (1 Thessalonians. 1:10). 

And for the Christian, God graciously continues to rescue us from the illusion that we can make it through the next hour without His help.

My Breaking Point

I love being your pastor. I count it as one of my greatest joys to be serving in the city of Oakland and shepherding such amazing people. I love grabbing coffee and walking in the neighborhood with you. I love praying and preparing my sermons. I’m even grateful for some of the hard conversations we have with the Bible open in front of us. 

Part of this work is also planning and strategizing for the future. I love collaborating with others to dream about the future that God has for us. I enjoy the process of thinking through what steps we might take to better fulfill our mission of helping people find and follow Jesus. 

Having the right place to gather can definitely be a part of such a strategy. You want to find a location that is big enough for growth but not too big. A space that is warm and inviting, especially for families with kids. A building that is strategically located in the city while also having enough parking (good luck with that one). 

But as we've spent close to nine months looking for a new location, I’ve finally reached my breaking point. I’ve had to surrender. And even more than that, I have had to repent for thinking I could simply strategize my way to kingdom impact; that if we just made a series of right decisions, our ministry would flourish. With all our wisdom, who needs to depend on God?

There is nothing wrong with strategy. Strategy should be used for the glory of God and the advancement of the gospel. But strategy and right decisions will never be a replacement for the gracious and sovereign work of God. 

Today, I’m rejoicing in my breaking point. I’m rejoicing because I know that my Heavenly Father is welcoming me into a deeper dependence upon Him. 

Maybe you can think of ways God is calling you to surrender. 

40 Days of Prayer 

I’m inviting you to partner with the staff, management team, and prayer team by intentionally praying for the next forty days. 

Our aim is to  join the choir of Christians throughout the centuries who have joyfully cried out to God for help. 

Yes, there is something very immediate we are asking God to provide: a new space for our church to gather. This is a very real need with a very real timeline. 

Yet, my hunch is that as we’re reminded of our dependence on God for a new space, it will open the floodgates to more significant areas of our individual and corporate lives that truly need God. 

A new building is small and somewhat insignificant in the economy of God. The gospel will advance with or without our buildings. Paul advanced the mission of the church while locked up in prison; the chains that bound him could not bind the word of God (Acts 16:16-40). But as we cry out to God for this need, I pray that the Spirit might actually open our eyes to even greater needs. 

So for the next forty days, we’re going to pray for a new building—but more importantly, we’re going to pray for spiritual renewal in the life of our church and revival in the city of Oakland. 

God can do it. And it brings Him joy when His people call on His name and ask Him to do what we could never do for ourselves. 

You can join other believers from New City who are praying towards this end by signing up below and letting us know that you’re along for the ride. 

Throughout the forty days, you’ll receive a weekly email with articles, prayer points and prayer practices that unite us as a church. 

May God be glorified as we joyfully unite around our weakness and His strength. For when we are weak, then we are strong.  

This article was not written by an AI machine. It was written by a real person, your pastor. And he loves you and wants you to keep treasuring Christ, forsaking sin, and building your life on the solid foundation of God’s word.