A Prayer When You Feel Like You Can't Do Anything Right

　　By Vivian Bricker

　　Bible Reading:

　　“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

　　Listen or Read Below:

　　For my entire life, I have struggled to feel good at anything. The only thing I seemed to excel at was getting on my parents' nerves and ending up in the principal’s office for talking too much to my friends when we were supposed to be listening to the teacher. When I started homeschooling in the seventh grade, I was still a problem for my parents. However, this time it was due to undiagnosed depression, anxiety, and an eating disorder.

　　Having these complex struggles made it hard for me to do normal things. While my sister could handle various tasks without a problem, I had tremendous difficulty.

　　My older sister is very gifted at the piano; she has a natural interest in music and a knack for picking up new instruments quickly. I, on the other hand, do not. Every Friday, my mother had my sister and me give a piano presentation where we would perform the song we had been learning that week. My mother was never happy with my performances, yet my sister would receive what felt like a standing ovation.

　　My sister deserved praise for her performance. However, I can still admit that it deeply hurt my feelings. Despite my best efforts to be good at something, I continued to fail. Because I was compared to my sister and never measured up, I ingrained five words into my mind:You are not good enough. Despite sleepless nights, constant effort, and doing everything I could, I accepted the belief that I was inadequate.

　　The thought that you’re not good enough still circles in my mind to this very day because I’ve never had anything or anyone fully break that cycle. Instead, I’ve often encountered things that seem to reaffirm the idea that I am a failure.

　　The Apostle Paul tells us, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). In this passage, Paul shares a personal conversation he had with the Lord; one that seems to have changed his life. And it can change ours too.

　　Since Jesus has extended grace upon grace in our lives, we need to extend that same grace to ourselves. Maybe we can’t do many things perfectly, but the Lord still loves us, and He covers us with His grace (Ephesians 3:16-19). He is always with us, and He helps us when we feel deeply disappointed in ourselves.

　　Paul says he will boast in his weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon him. We can do the same, because our weakness reveals the Lord’s power even more clearly. None of us is good enough on our own because we all fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We all mess up, and we won’t be the best at everything; that’s part of being human. Rather than beating ourselves up, we need to accept our humanity and embrace the Lord’s kindness.

　　Let’s Pray:

　　Dear Lord, I praise You that Your power is made perfect in weakness. I feel extremely weak, and I don't do as well as I'd like. I'm not perfect, but I know You don't expect me to be. All I can do is try my best and allow Your power to shine through me.

　　Help me to remember this truth even when I know I'm not doing as well as everyone around me. I don't enjoy feeling like I’m not adequate, but I understand that it humbles me and helps me to grow. I thank You that You love me despite my shortcomings and You help me to become a better version of myself.

　　I give You all the praise and honor, Lord. Amen.

　　Share your reflections on today’s devotional in the Your Daily Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.

　　Photo Credit: Unsplash/Christian Erfurt

　　Vivian Bricker obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry, followed by a Master of Arts with an emphasis in theology. She loves all things theology, mission work, and helping others learn about Jesus. Find more of her content at Cultivate.

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