The Ugly Cry: How to Pray When You’re Desperate

Are you desperate? Are your tears turning into an ugly cry? When you’re overwhelmed by life, have you ever wondered if God cares?

Whether it’s a bad breakup, a looming bankruptcy, or a child who’s gone off the rails, open your Bible and you’ll discover truth…

• God listens.
• God answers.
• He cares.

Psalm 102 explores God’s love and it opens with this description: “A prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint to the Lord.” NKJV

The NLT expresses it like this: “A prayer of the overwhelmed with trouble, pouring out his problems before the Lord.”

This is not gentle weeping. This is downright snotty-nosed sobbing before the Lord.

The writers of the Bible were not afraid to tell God how they really felt: overwhelmed, troubled and afflicted. These are not pious prayers.

This is raw and real as they poured out their problems to God. Can you hear the desperation?

“Lord, hear my prayer! Listen to my plea! Don’t turn away from me in my time of distress. Bend down to listen, and answer me quickly when I call to you.

For my days disappear like smoke, and my bones burn like red-hot coals. My heart is sick, withered like grass…” Psalm 102:1-4 NLT

They were open and honest before God — but they balanced their complaints with truth. If you keep reading, despite the writer’s despair, you will find an underlying current of trust.

They believed that no matter how dire things look or how overwhelmed they felt, God sees. He will come with relief and help.

“But You, O Lord, shall endure forever, and the remembrance of Your name to all generations. You will arise and have mercy…
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The Lord will build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory, he shall regard the prayer of the destitute, and shall not despise their prayer.” Psalm 102:12, 16-17 NKJV

No matter what you’re facing today, you can be real with God. You can share the depths of your soul with him, without condemnation and with no judgment. God can handle an ugly cry.

The key, however, to overcoming your problems is to bring Truth into your situation. Bring the word and God’s promises to bear in your life. That’s how you can have hope even in the darkest moments.

Open your Bible and search out God’s word for your circumstance. No matter how desperate life is right now, God has an answer. Pray and believe.

Here’s a simple prayer to help you look to God: 

God, I pour out my heart before you! I’m desperate for your help. Thank you that you hear my prayer. Thank you that you care. I ask you to intervene. I ask you to send help from your holy sanctuary. I trust you with ____________________. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“‘These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’” John 16:33