IN AFFLICTION, RUN TO THE LORD
“Like a swallow or a crane I chirp; I moan like a dove. My eyes are weary with looking upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my pledge of safety” (Isa 38:14 ESV)!
“Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distress. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins” (Ps 25:16-18 ESV).
For a Believer in Darkness and Distress
“Why so cast down, dejected soul?
A loving Christ is near;
Thy broken bones he can make whole,
And drooping spirit cheer.
Thy soul with tempests may be tossed,
And Satan sorely thrust;
Yet sure no soul shall e’er be lost
Who makes the Lord his trust.
Dear Jesus, show thy smiling face, And
Calvary’s peace impart,
Display the power of saving grace,
And cheer a troubled heart”
John Berridge (ref#224, song#714).
“Save me, O God! I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God” (Ps 69:1,3 ESV). This quote comes from a Psalm that contains many prophecies about Christ. Did Christ say something like this in Gethsemane the night He was betrayed? What faith He displayed in His Father as He waited there! His faith kept him calling out to God instead fleeing for His life. He trusted His Father to bring Him back to life if He let the Jewish leaders kill Him. That’s exactly the kind of strong trust I have to have in my Father, too, or I cannot have His strong help. He says:
“I want you to trust me in your times of trouble, so I can rescue you and you can give me glory” (Ps 50:14 (TLB).
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Pet 5:6-11 ESV).
Bonnie's Prayer Affair 