How to Pray When You've Hit Rock Bottom

The first step is to admit the trouble you’re in. This might seem obvious, but it’s a classic move for troublemakers in every generation. Even the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous start with an admission: “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable.”
It’s not clear why Jonah suddenly got honest about his situation. Maybe it was the nagging sense of guilt that follows disobedience. Perhaps it was the panic that comes with a near-death experience. Or possibly Jonah was simply claustrophobic. Whatever the case, he prayed:
Jonah 2:2-6 He said, “I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble.... I called to you from the land of the dead... I sank beneath the waves.... I sank down to the very roots of the mountains...."
Jonah took an inventory, and he acknowledged that he was in a dark place. He got specific, and he even wrote it down. He was done with denial, and that was the beginning of his victor
Jonah 2:3- "You threw me into the ocean depths.... buried beneath your wild and stormy waves. Then I said, ‘O LORD, you have driven me from your presence.'"
Jonah knew that the storm was the catalyst for God’s hand of discipline. And instead of railing against God for it, he simply acknowledged it. He knew that God was treating him like a son, and he deserved what was coming to him.
Sometimes God has no choice but to discipline us. It’s never fun, but it's always for our good. For some people, rock bottom is the only place they’ll look up – and admit the trouble they’re in.

Step 2: Affirm

The second step in our rock-bottom prayer is to affirm who God is – and that he’s