Make straight paths for your feet so you won’t be out of joint, but will heal. Hebrews 12:13 (Voice) 

Looking over the CDC statistics regarding caregivers I made several interesting discoveries that might shed some light on your caregiving journey. This is what fellow warriors are feeling. Do you relate?

Caregivers find hope in prayer

Here’s a direct quote – “73{61d001d4b7a96de80e0078bc3f1338479c39cdb76b689e6c6695e09544b9a7dc} of surveyed caregivers said praying helps them cope with caregiving stress”

I have intentionally changed the wording because I have discovered that I cannot ever cope well with the stress of taking care of a loved one. The problem with coping is your focus. When you focus on the problems and the stress of the situation you will feel overwhelmed with the overload of responsibilities. Your focus is to simply get by rather than to overcome. 

Here’s the reality about prayer. Prayer straightens the path for me as I take this leg of my journey as a caregiver. Prayer makes me powerful because I am able to take my burdens and let the Lord carry them. I no longer am alone. I am no longer a victim. I have incredible opportunities to be a HOPE Ambassador.  

Hope Tool: Praying the Word

Prayer brings hope and light to dark situations when you line up with what God wants for you. The best way to know what God wants for you is to focus on the verses that jump off the pages of the Bible as you read it. When the weariness and the weight of caregiving threaten to drown you, grab on to the truth from God’s Word and personalize through prayer. In doing so, you are aligning with who God believes you are. He does not see you as a pathetic victim of your current situation. He sees you as an overcomer and a warrior. Here’s an example from Hebrews 12:11-13 in the VOICE.

Lord, I’ve been going through some painful and unpleasant times. Thank You for these times of training in Your ways so that I can grow in right standing with you and in peace no matter what the circumstances. Right now it feels like my hands are dangling. I am just so tired that I need your strength to even lift my hands in praise to You. Thank You for taking my small efforts and multiplying my strength. I place braces on my weak knees. I bow my knees before You and thank You for giving me the strength I need as I bow before Your majesty and enjoy the purpose of what You are accomplishing in my life. I release all bitterness so that my crooked ways will become a straight path. Heal what is lame in me as a result of being out of sorts. I know that as I walk this path that I will be healed in places that I didn’t even realize needed healing. In Jesus’ name.

Author, speaker, corporate trainer, ordained minister and Hope Catalyst, Karen Sebastian enjoys sharing her rich life experiences with others – engaging them in adventurous discoveries of the beauty of hope in a dark, cloudy world. 

You may order Karen’s latest book, The Power of Hope in Mourning here.