Under Pressure

Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
- Psalm 10:1

Prayer

Lord, why do you leave us in our suffering? Lord, your church is persecuted in many nations of the world. Lord, people made in your image with incredible value that you have given to them are taken advantage of, deceived, oppressed, and murdered. Lord, there are many wicked people who lead astray for their own gain, who do not obey your Word, and who do not honor you as God. Are you paying attention?

Lord, you do see and you do help the weak. You will hold the wicked responsible for their actions and what they have said in their hearts. You will take away all of the wicked’s power for you are sovereign over all. You are king forever and ever. You hear the cry of the afflicted and you strengthen hearts. Father, strengthen the hearts of those who are oppressed. Father, fill our hearts with faith in you instead of fear and terror of what wicked men can do.

Training

Our hearts are desperately wicked. Only Jesus can transform our hearts.

You don’t have to look far or live long to have experienced pain and suffering. We all experience it. The world is full of injustices against people by people. This is the world we live in. We all know it because it weighs on all of us.

Take it all to God in prayer. Cry out to God. He hears, He lifts us up, and He answers. Sometimes the answer is not yet.

Warriors, will you have faith in God’s promises that suffering is for our good? That God through our suffering produces endurance, character, and hope. Hope in God’s promises today. Hope with confidence that the weight of God’s glory (His goodness, grace, and grandeur) far exceeds the weight of suffering we endure on earth.