“In my distress [when I seemed surrounded] I called upon the Lord
And cried to my God for help;
He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry for help came before Him, into His very ears.”
Psalm 18:6 AMPC
Grace Perspective:
David, who knew distress well, writes this passage in Psalms. There were many times he was surrounded by enemies who wanted to kill him. Other times, the consequences of his sin surrounded him, burdening his heart until he cried out to the Lord.
Distress can cause us to turn to many places that will eventually lead to even more stress. However, turning to God will lead us to the One who hears our cry for help. Like David, we can call out to the Lord who turns His ears to listen to hearts that call to Him for help, seeking Him as a refuge. God can use our moments of distress to reveal His graciousness if we turn to Him for help.
A Touch of Grace:
What distresses you?
Where do you turn in your distress?
Grace Application:
Distress. I imagine we’ve all experienced moments of pain, perhaps even seasons of distress, that seem like they are on automatic replay. That’s how my life seems at the moment; each day brings new stressors that I can’t anticipate, and if I’m not mindful, I’ll slip into the prideful loop of self-pity.
As I told you in an earlier post, my Mom fell and broke her hip. She had a partial hip replacement and went to rehab for two weeks. They released her late last week, and it’s good to have her and Dad home again.
Coming home is a blessing, yet it brings new distresses. Mom is now in the last stage of Alzheimer’s, a horrible disease that has slowly taken my precious Momma’s abilities in every area. We have extra hands to help care for her, which is a huge blessing, yet watching her quietly slip away brings deep sorrow. Seeing my Dad lose the love of his life is hard too. Though he isn’t a patient man, he has remained by her side and each evening takes her hand as they watch something on TV and tells her he loves her. As I watch them, my heart is saddened yet thankful for the gift of sharing this season with them.
Another distress that struck me came in the form of diverticulitis.
After two weeks of tummy troubles and two days of being in agony (felt like being in labor), it was time to seek medical help. So, after getting the diagnosis, I realized there are more changes to face. Honestly, I’m getting weary of so many changes and would like to have a break from the onslaught of stressors.
My flesh is weary and weak, and it seems like there are troubles on every side (including the inside). I’ve found myself slipping into some old sin patterns like self-pity and found anger rising in my heart. Anger at the circumstances, my physical weakness, and my Dad’s impatience began to spill out, splashing acidic bitterness on others.
With a heart distressed by my sinful response to the circumstances, I cried out to God,
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and the One who rescues me; My God, my rock and strength in whom I trust and take refuge; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower—my stronghold.”
Psalm 18:2 AMPC
Pouring out grief for my sin, crying out for the grace of forgiveness made me realize that the distress I’m feeling reveals my continued desire to control my circumstances. I praise the Lord that He didn’t let me linger in that putrid place, but gently reminded me to come to Him, my Rock, My Stronghold, My Refuge.
Christ Jesus has redeemed me from the penalty of my sin, and though I will continue to feel distressed while I’m here on earth, by turning to Him, I will find healing for my hurting heart and forgiveness for all my sin.
God is gracious to all who come to them when distress overwhelms them. Today, if you find yourself stressed by life’s circumstances, call out to God. He hears with His very ears. Then tune your heart to hear His response.
Prayer:
Gracious Father, Thank You for hearing me when I call to you in my distress! You are my Rock, my Fortress, the One who rescues me. Forgive me for my petulant heart that seeks to control my circumstances and sins when life is not to my liking. Remind me that You hear me and that You graciously answer me in my distress. Help me quickly come to You, trusting that You will never leave me alone in my suffering but will give me all I need to endure the difficult seasons. In the precious name of Jesus Christ, my Savior, Amen.
**Today, as you read this, I pray each of you will know for sure you are in Christ Jesus. If you have any doubts, please call out to God so that all doubt is erased. Today is a good day to be assured of salvation in Christ Jesus. If you have any questions, please contact me at graceisdawning@gmail.com**