A seeker in Nigeria explores prayer

That's a beautiful prayer — seeking God's grace to keep moving forward. It sounds like you're already on a meaningful journey with Him.

I'd love to hear more about where you are in your faith. What's drawing you to seek God's grace right now? Is there something specific you're hoping He'll help you continue in?

I'm really sorry to hear about the difficult situation in your area. Living without peace and security is incredibly hard, and it takes courage to keep pressing on in the midst of that. Your heart for your community and for northern Nigeria is clear.

The Bible tells us that Jesus himself is called the "Prince of Peace" Isaiah 9:6, and he promises a peace that's different from what the world offers — a peace that can exist even in the hardest circumstances John 14:27. That doesn't take away the real pain and danger you're facing, but it does mean God is present with you in it.

Can I ask — what does the situation look like day-to-day for you and your community? And how are you personally holding up through all of this?

That is heartbreaking. People being driven from their homes, unable to farm, unable to live normal lives — that's a crisis that affects everything: safety, food, livelihood, dignity. The fear and instability must be overwhelming for so many families.

God sees this suffering. Throughout the Bible, He shows special concern for those who are displaced and vulnerable. The Psalms are full of cries from people in desperate situations, and God honors those honest prayers. David wrote, "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit" Psalms 34:18.

In times like these, it's natural to wonder where God is and why He allows such pain. Those are real questions, and God is big enough to handle them.

Are you or your family directly affected by the displacement? And in the midst of all this, what helps you hold onto hope?

That sounds absolutely exhausting — the constant uncertainty, not knowing when you'll be able to get food, when children can go to school, when life can function normally. Those lockdowns don't just stop activity; they stop life from moving forward. And the stress of that weighs on everyone, especially parents trying to provide for their families.

I can hear the weight you're carrying. You're living in a situation that many people can't even imagine, and yet you're here seeking God's grace to continue. That takes real strength.

Jesus spoke about daily needs — about bread, about provision — and taught his followers to pray, "Give us today our daily bread" Matthew 6:11. He knows what it's like to depend on God one day at a time when the future is uncertain.

When you're in the middle of a lockdown and resources are running low, what gets you through? Do you have a church community or others around you who are walking through this together?

You're carrying such a heavy burden — being separated from your family while trying to support them from Lagos, waiting for the lockdowns to lift so you can send help. That takes incredible sacrifice and love. And you're right: in times like these, when systems fail and people can't help, God is the only constant.

It sounds like you've learned firsthand what it means to depend entirely on God when human help runs out. That's actually a profound place to be spiritually, even though it's painful. The apostle Paul wrote about this — how sometimes God allows us to face situations beyond our own strength "so that we might not rely on ourselves but on God" 2 Corinthians 1:9.

Your faith in God as your help, even when you're stretched thin trying to provide for your family, is powerful.

How are you holding up personally through all this? Being the one who's trying to help from a distance, sending what you can — that's its own kind of pressure. Are you able to find moments of peace or rest for yourself?

You're working a full day at the office, then coming home to sell kunu and zobo just to make a little extra to send to your family. That's exhausting — physically, emotionally, and spiritually. There's barely any time to rest, let alone process everything that's happening back home.

What you're doing is an act of love and sacrifice. You're pouring yourself out for your family's survival. But I also hear that you have no peace, no rest. Even the strongest person can only carry so much for so long.

Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" Matthew 11:28. That doesn't mean your circumstances will instantly change, but it does mean there's a place to lay down the weight you're carrying — even if just for a moment — and let God hold it with you.

In the little time you do have, are you able to pray, read Scripture, or connect with God in some way? Or does it feel like you're just running on empty, trying to survive each day?

That simple prayer on your knees at the end of an exhausting day — that matters more than you might realize. God doesn't need long, eloquent prayers. He sees your heart, your weariness, and the fact that even when you can barely stand, you still come to Him.

The Bible is full of short, honest prayers from people at the end of themselves. One of the shortest prayers in Scripture is just three words: "Lord, save me!" Matthew 14:30 — and Jesus immediately reached out. Your simple evening prayer is enough. God hears it.

It sounds like you're doing everything you can — working two jobs, supporting your family, staying connected to God even when you're running on fumes. That's faithfulness. But I also wonder: do you have anyone in Lagos walking with you through this? A church, a friend, someone who knows what you're carrying and can pray with you or encourage you?

You're holding up others from a distance, but who's holding you up?

That's such a gift — to have a church and pastors who genuinely care for you, who prayed for you through illness and surgery, and who continue to lift you up. It sounds like they've been the hands and feet of Jesus to you in real, tangible ways. That's what the body of Christ is meant to be — people carrying one another's burdens Galatians 6:2.

And your office helping you during that operation too — that shows God's provision even through unexpected places. He sees your needs and moves people to care.

You've been through so much — a serious operation two years ago, now this relentless pressure of working two jobs to support your family during a crisis. And still, you keep showing up: for your family, for your work, and for God.

I'm curious — through all of this hardship, how has your relationship with God changed? Has it grown deeper, or has it been a struggle to hold onto faith when life feels this heavy?

That whisper — "no" — when you're at the edge of giving up? That's God. He's holding onto you even when you feel like you can't hold on anymore. That's not just coincidence or your own willpower. That's the Holy Spirit keeping you anchored when everything else is pulling you under.

The Bible talks about this. Paul wrote about being "hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed" 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. That's exactly what you're describing — you're at the breaking point, but something keeps you from breaking. Someone keeps you from breaking.

Those moments when you want to give up are honest. They're human. Even Jesus, facing the cross, prayed, "Take this cup from me" Mark 14:36 — but then added, "Yet not what I will, but what you will." He knows what it's like to want relief, to want the burden lifted.

When that voice whispers "no" and keeps you going, what do you sense it's telling you? Is it just to endure, or is there something more it's speaking to your heart?

That's exactly right — the Holy Spirit is with you. Jesus promised, "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you" John 14:18, and that promise is real in your life. The fact that you can still sense hope, even when everything around you says there's none, is evidence of God's presence.

Hope isn't just wishful thinking. The Bible says hope is an anchor for the soul Hebrews 6:19 — something that holds you steady when the storms come. And you've been in a storm for a long time now. But that whisper, that sense of the Spirit, that flicker of hope — those are lifelines God is giving you.

You're living between two realities: the painful one (family in crisis, exhaustion, lockdowns, no peace) and the spiritual one (God's presence, His whisper, hope that won't let go). Both are real. And sometimes all we can do is take it one day at a time, trusting that God sees what we can't yet see.

What are you hoping for right now? Is it peace in Nigeria? Provision for your family? Rest for yourself? Or something else?

That makes complete sense — peace is the foundation for everything else. Without it, there's no farming, no markets, no normal life, no provision, no rest. You're praying for the root issue, not just the symptoms. And that's a prayer God cares deeply about.

Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly calls Himself "the God of peace" Romans 15:33 Philippians 4:9. He desires peace for nations, communities, and hearts. The prophet Jeremiah wrote God's words to exiled people living in crisis: "I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" Jeremiah 29:11. That was spoken to people who thought all was lost — and God was already working toward restoration.

Your prayer for Nigeria's peace is not falling on deaf ears. Keep praying it. Keep bringing it before God. And gather others to pray with you — your pastors, your church, believers across Nigeria. There's power when God's people unite in prayer Matthew 18:19-20.

At the same time, while you're praying for Nigeria's peace, is there anything God might be inviting you to receive personally from Him right now — even before the external situation changes?

That's a beautiful and challenging calling — to help the poor even while you yourself are struggling. It takes real faith to pray for the grace to give when you're already stretched so thin.

There's something deeply Kingdom-minded about that desire. Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" Matthew 25:40. And throughout Scripture, caring for the poor isn't optional — it's central to what it means to follow God Proverbs 19:17 Isaiah 58:6-7.

But here's what strikes me: you're already living this out. You're working two jobs to send money to your family in crisis. You're sacrificing rest, peace, and your own comfort to help others survive. In a very real way, you're already caring for "the least of these."

When you say you want God's grace to help the poor, are you thinking about doing even more than you're already doing? Or are you asking God to give you the strength and resources to sustain what you're already carrying?

That's a heart that reflects God's own heart. Even in the midst of your own struggle, you're not just thinking about survival — you're thinking about how to bless others. That's the kind of generosity God honors.

But here's something important to consider: God doesn't call you to pour yourself out until there's nothing left. Even Jesus withdrew to rest and pray Luke 5:16. Even He had limits in His human body. Right now, you're working from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, then selling kunu and zobo, sending money to family in crisis, barely sleeping — and you're asking God for grace to do more.

I wonder if part of the grace God wants to give you right now isn't just the grace to do more, but the grace to receive rest, wisdom, and sustainable strength. Because if you burn out completely, you won't be able to help anyone — not your family, not the poor, not yourself.

The Bible talks about this. Paul wrote, "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" 2 Corinthians 9:7. Notice — it's about what you've decided in your heart, not what crushes you.

What would it look like to trust God with the timing of this calling? To ask Him not just for grace to do more, but for wisdom about when and how?

Amen to that. That's faith — trusting that God will provide the strength and the opportunities in His timing. And He is faithful. The Bible promises, "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak" Isaiah 40:29. You've already experienced that whisper when you wanted to give up. God has been sustaining you, and He will continue.

When you pray for open doors, what does that look like in your mind? Are you hoping for a better job, more income, opportunities to help others in new ways? Or something else?

And as you wait and work, remember this: God sees everything you're already doing. Your double shifts, your prayers on your knees when you can barely stand, your heart for the poor, your love for your family. None of it is invisible to Him. "God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them" Hebrews 6:10.

You're already living faithfully. Keep trusting Him for what's next.

You're very welcome. It's been an honor to hear your story and to pray alongside you in spirit for peace in Nigeria, provision for your family, and strength for the journey ahead.

Keep holding onto that hope the Holy Spirit whispers to you. Keep bringing your honest prayers to God — the simple ones at night and the morning ones with Scripture. And keep trusting that He sees you, hears you, and is with you every step of the way.

May God strengthen you, open those doors, and bring the peace to Nigeria that you're praying for. You are already a blessing to so many.

Go in peace, and know that you are deeply loved by God.

Amen. 🙏

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May He turn His face toward you and give you peace Numbers 6:24-26.

Take care, and remember — you're not walking this road alone.

You're so welcome. God bless you richly. 🙏

🙏 Take care, friend. You're in my thoughts. May God's peace and strength be with you.