Praying When Uncertain or Without Direction
Prayer is defined as direct address to God, an "intercourse of the soul with God" that can be oral or mental, constant or occasional [3]. When faced with uncertainty or a lack of clear direction, biblical texts and theological traditions emphasize prayer as a primary response.
The Bible frequently depicts individuals and communities crying out to God in times of distress or confusion. For instance, Psalm 82:5 describes a state where people "don’t know, neither do they understand. They walk back and forth in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken" [2]. In such circumstances, the natural human response, even for those outside of faith, is to "cry unto the Lord in their trouble" [6]. The book of Psalms contains numerous examples of prayers offered from a place of affliction, appealing to God for compassion, presence, and guidance [10, 4]. These prayers often seek divine comfort, mitigation of troubles, deliverance, and pardon from sin [4].
The New Testament similarly encourages prayer in uncertain times. Jesus himself was often found praying, sometimes after significant events or before making important decisions [8]. Mark 13:33 exhorts believers to "Take care, keep watch with prayer: for you are not certain when the time will be," highlighting prayer as a posture of readiness and vigilance in the face of unknown future events [1]. The Apostle Paul, in Philippians 4:6, instructs believers to "be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."
When believers are uncertain about what specifically to pray for, the Holy Spirit is understood to intercede on their behalf. Romans 8:26 speaks of "groanings that cannot be expressed in words," which some interpretations suggest refer to the Spirit interceding when believers are unsure how to articulate their prayers [7]. This suggests that even when words fail, the act of turning to God in prayer is significant, as the Spirit communicates the heart's intent.
Theological traditions further elaborate on the role of prayer in uncertainty. Torrey's Topical Textbook lists "divine teaching and direction" as a specific request to be made in prayer, citing passages like Job 34:32 and Psalm 143:10 [4]. This underscores the belief that God provides guidance to those who seek it through prayer. The act of prayer itself is seen as a means of drawing near to God [3].
The concept of praying in an "unknown tongue" discussed in 1 Corinthians 14 also touches on the idea of prayer when understanding is limited. While the passage primarily addresses the use of spiritual gifts in corporate worship, commentators like Adam Clarke suggest that even if one's prayers are not fully understood by others, or even by the individual's own intellect, the "spirit prayeth" and the heart is engaged [5]. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown interpret this as an encouragement for those speaking in tongues to pray for the gift of interpretation, so that their prayers might be edifying to the church [9]. This highlights that even when the form or content of prayer is unclear to human understanding, the intention to communicate with God remains central.
Sources
- Mark “Mark 13:33 (BBE) — Take care, keep watch with prayer: for you are not certain when the time will be.”
- Psalms “They don’t know, neither do they understand. They walk back and forth in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken. -- Psalms 82:5”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Affliction, Prayer Under — Exhortation to -- Jas 5:13. That God would consider our trouble -- 2Ki 19:16; Ne 9:32; Ps 9:13; La 5:1. For the presence and support of God -- Ps 10:1; 102:2. That the Holy Spirit may not be withdrawn -- Ps 51:11. For divine comfort -- Ps 4:6; 119:76. For mitigation of troubles -- Ps 39:12,13. For deliverance -- Ps 25:17,22; 39:10; Isa 64:9-12; Jer 17:14. For pardon and deliverance from sin -- Ps 39:8; 51:1; 79:8. That we may be turned to God -- Ps 80:7; 85:4-6; Jer 31:18. For divine teaching and direction -- Job 34:32; Ps 27:11; 143:10. Fo”
- 1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 14:14: For if I pray in an unknown tongue - If my prayers are composed of sentences and sayings taken out of the prophets, etc., and in their own language - my spirit prayeth, my heart is engaged in the work, and my prayers answer all the purpose of prayers to myself; but my understanding is unfruitful to all others, because they do not understand my prayers, and I either do not or cannot interpret them. See the note on Co1 14:19.”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 107:5: Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble,.... To be directed in their way, and for food and drink, as travellers do when in such distress. Natural men, even the very Heathens, when in distress, will cry unto God for relief, as Jonah's mariners did, Jon 1:5. It is a time of trouble with awakened sinners, when they are convinced of sin by the Spirit of God; when they are pricked to the heart with a sense of it; when the terrors of death and hell get hold of them; when they see themselves lost and undone, and in a wrong way, and know not what to do; when they find”
- Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 8:26: 8:26 groanings that cannot be expressed in words: This might refer to speech that does not take the form of human language, such as when believers, uncertain of what to pray, utter meaningless sounds in prayer. The groanings in question are the Spirit’s, not ours. When we do not know how to pray, the Spirit is interceding for us before God.”
- Luke (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Luke 11 (introduction): And it came to pass that as he was praying,.... The following directions concerning prayer, though they agree with those in Mat 6:9 &c. yet were delivered at another time, and in another place, and upon another occasion: Christ was then in Galilee, now in Judea: he gave the former directions unasked for, these at the request of one of his disciples; the other were given as he was preaching, these immediately after he had been praying; as soon as he had done a work he was often employed in, as man and mediator, on account of himself, his disciples, cause, an”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 14:13: Explain, "Let him who speaketh with a tongue [unknown] in his prayer (or, when praying) strive that he may interpret" [ALFORD]. This explanation of "pray" is needed by its logical connection with "prayer in an unknown tongue" (Co1 14:14). Though his words be unintelligible to his hearers, let him in them pray that he may obtain the gift of interpreting, which will make them "edifying" to "the church" (Co1 14:12).”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 102:1: Ps 102 A frail and afflicted human being prays for the Lord’s compassion on Jerusalem and for his presence with its inhabitants. 102:1-2 The psalmist appeals to the Lord not to turn away (or hide your face). Israel experienced his turning his face away during their exile.”