A Prayer to Expect the Best from God When You’re Facing a Challenge - Your Daily Prayer - March 13

A Prayer to Expect the Best from God When You’re Facing a Challenge
By: Whitney Hopler

Bible Reading:
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” – Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV

Listen or Read Below:

When you’re dealing with a challenge, the obstacles in front of you – like a broken relationship, lots of bills, or a scary health crisis – can easily lead you to worry about worst-case scenarios. It may feel like a good idea to mentally prepare yourself for the worst if it happens. But actually, focusing on the worst directs your attention to your problems rather than to God’s power. 

In Ephesians 3:20-21, the Bible encourages you to focus on God’s unlimited power to help you. These verses describe that God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Not only can God help you with a challenge, but he can do much more than you even ask or imagine. God can empower you to deal successfully with any challenge and to overcome it completely. 

Are you expecting the worst when you pray? Worrying about the worst outcome is essentially a form of negative faith, where you imagine a future where you don’t get any help from God. Doing that drains your energy and blinds you to the possibilities that exist when you trust God to do what only he can do. 

Are you expecting only what you think is reasonable when you pray? You may suggest a certain way that you think God should answer your prayers. That outcome may be the best you can see, but there may be a better outcome that only God can see. Don’t limit God’s answers to your prayers by expecting only what you can think of yourself. 

If you’re facing a challenge right now, realize that your imagination is a powerful tool. You can use it to worry about your fears and come up with a request for God, or you can use it to expect God’s best. Expecting the best means believing that even if a way forward looks blocked to you, God can still create a way that you can’t see – something that even goes beyond what you can ask or imagine. 

Your imagination is limited by your past experiences and your human logic. God is not limited by anything. He sees how this challenge can be turned into something that serves a good purpose in your life. When you pray for something bigger than what you can ask or imagine, you’re asking God to move in ways that leave you – and everyone watching – in awe of God’s love and power. 

It takes courage to pray big prayers when you’re facing a big challenge. While it feels easier to pray small, “safe” prayers that seem reasonable (and God does hear and answer those kinds of prayers), why not pray for more? God can do much more than you can imagine! 

If you believe God’s power is at work in you, then remember that you have access to the unlimited power of the Holy Spirit. That power doesn’t just cope with challenges; it overcomes them. So, ask the Holy Spirit to bring about the very best outcome in every situation in your prayers. Pray for forgiveness and reconciliation to happen in a relationship you’ve been tempted to give up on. Ask for the financial provision that seems unreasonable, with the confidence that God can bring you whatever you need. Pray for the healing that makes no sense given the circumstances. God can bring you the very best, according to his will for you and everyone concerned. 

When you pray these big prayers, you stop limiting God’s answers. You take the ceiling off your expectations and replace your worry with a sense of excitement about what God will choose to do. 

Ephesians 3:20 says that God’s power is “at work within us.” Sometimes the biggest miracle isn’t the challenge disappearing, but the transformation happening inside you while you face it. Expect the best not just for your circumstances, but for your soul. Expect that God will strengthen your faith and give you wisdom as you face your challenge. 

So, stop bracing for the worst. It hasn’t happened yet, and God is already in your future. Instead, start expecting that God’s answer will be so wonderful that it will be beyond what you can ask or imagine! 

Let’s Pray:

Dear God, I admit that this challenge has me feeling overwhelmed and tempted to fear the worst. I’ve been focusing on the challenge instead of on you. Today, I’m going to turn my worries into prayers and start expecting that you can answer my prayers by giving me what’s really best.

I believe that you’re able to do immeasurably more than I can ask or even imagine in this situation. I bring this specific challenge to you and ask for your very best resolution. I trust that you have endless possibilities to provide. Help me to expect your best today, knowing that your power is at work in me and that you’re working everything for my good.

Thank you, God. Amen.

Join the conversation! Share how today’s devotional spoke to you on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: © Unsplash/sam mgrdichian

Whitney Hopler helps people discover God's wonder and experience awe. She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory. Whitney has served as an editor at leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She currently leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Connect with Whitney on her website at www.whitneyhopler.com and on her Facebook author page.

Related Resource: 5 Things Parents Need to Tell Their Kids About War Right Now

When war dominates the headlines, parents are left asking an important question: How do we talk to our kids about it? In this episode of March or Die, Jeremy Stalnecker shares practical and biblical principles for guiding young people through confusing and frightening global events.

Drawing from his experience as a Marine who lived through the wars following 9/11, Jeremy explains why moments of global conflict can become powerful opportunities for parents to teach their children about courage, faith, and moral clarity. Rather than avoiding difficult conversations, parents can use them to help their kids understand fear, the reality of evil in the world, and the responsibility we have to stand for what is right.

This conversation explores how parents can alleviate fear, explain why conflict exists, and demonstrate a faith-filled response when the world seems chaotic. Jeremy also discusses the importance of teaching children the difference between necessary and unnecessary violence, why standing against evil matters, and how faith in God provides stability even in uncertain times. If this episode of March or Die helped your spiritual perspective, be sure to follow the show on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!