Prayer for Relief from Affliction

O gracious God, who beholdest the afflicted and miserable, and whose tender mercies are over all Thy works! Behold, a poor, afflicted soul, I stand before the throne of Thy grace, and beseech Thy help. Thou knowest how Thou hast afflicted me; Thou knowest how Thou hast tried me; and Thou knowest also that no one can remove my affliction but Thou alone. The Father-hand which has wounded me must heal me; He who has slain me must make me alive again; yea, He who has led me into the depths of hell must lead me forth again.

Therefore, O gracious God, I come to Thee, and say: Lord, help me; Lord, have mercy upon me. Thy wrath is but for a moment, and Thou takest pleasure in life; but Thy moment is almost too long tor me. Merciful God, Thou who in Thy Word hast so graciously permitted Thy children to pray to Thee, saying to them: “Ask and ye shall receive; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you:” let my asking and seeking and knocking find acceptance with Thee. Remove my affliction from me; yet not my will, but Thine be done.

I do not desire to prescribe to Thee the day or the hour or the manner in which Thou shalt help: I will patiently wait tor Thee. But I beseech Thee, let me experience Thy quickening grace. If Thou wilt not entirely remove my affliction, remove a part of it. For a small moment Thou dost hide Thy face from Thy believers, but with great mercies wilt Thou gather them.

O God, how long wilt Thou forget me? How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me? Is Thy mercy clean gone forever? Doth Thy promise fail for evermore? O let me see that Thou art still my Father, and wilt have mercy upon me. Let me know that my fervent prayer is acceptable to Thee. O how long, how long shall my heart be anxious and long for Thee? With Thee nothing is impossible; the Lord of Sabaoth is Thy name, great in wisdom and mighty in power. Thou art the consolation of Israel and the Helper in need; therefore do not forsake me, but help me, deliver me, be merciful to me Make me glad according to the days wherein Thou hast afflicted me, and the years wherein I have seen evil. Leave me not, neither forsake me. God of my salvation.

If Thine hour to help has not yet come, strengthen me within, and grant me such a measure of grace as will enable me to bear my affliction longer for Thy glory. For if Thou, dear Father, wilt lighten my burden or help me to bear it, so that I walk in Thy strength, I will regard this help as being also a deliverance for which I should be glad and thankful. But if Thou wilt not remove any of my burden in this life, but wilt have me bear it until death, Thy Will be done. Only let me not be tempted above that which I am able; and sweeten all my bitterness and sorrow with the enjoyment of Thy love, with Thy mighty succor, and with a quickening foretaste of heaven. Amen.