My precious child of God, I greet you in the mighty name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Today, we are going to meditate on Psalm 118:5. It is a beautiful verse that says, “When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord. He brought me into a spacious place.” My friend, Psalm 18:6 also says the same thing, and II Samuel 22:4-7 echoes this truth. Especially in verse 4, it says, “I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.” And in verse 7 it declares, “In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry entered His ears.” My friend, this is prayer! It is talking to the Lord, opening your heart, and pouring out all your heart’s agony and needs before Him.

Jonah, too, was a servant of God who went through many calamities, and he could not bear them on his own. But Jonah 2:2 says, “He prayed unto the Lord and cried out to the Lord because of his affliction, and the Lord answered him.” You know the life of Jonah, how he was saved, how God anointed him again, and how He used him for His glory. In the same way, every time we go through tribulations, trials, and all kinds of problems, we must look to the Lord. The promise is sure: “Ask, and it shall be given.” Just open your mouth and talk to Him. Pour out your everything, your every need, every agony of your heart, because that is prayer.

If you read II Corinthians 12:10, it says, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake.” Paul writes, “For when I am weak, then I am strong” when I commit everything into the hands of God. We may go through many troubles and tribulations in this world, especially servants of God, who often endure much for His name. Yet we are called to be of good cheer, to submit everything into His hands, and to trust Him in every circumstance. For in our weakness His strength is made perfect, and in our trials His glory is revealed.

PRAYER: 
Dear heavenly Father, I thank You for Your loving promise. I am grateful that when I am hard pressed, I can cry out to You and You hear me. Just as You answered Jonah from the depths, just as You lifted David into a spacious place, lift me, Lord, today from every burden, every distress, and every fear. Teach me to pour out my heart before You in prayer, to trust in Your unfailing love, and to find Your strength in my weakness. Lord, I surrender every trial and tribulation into Your hands. Fill me with Your perfect peace, Your courage, and Your joy for You are my Deliverer and my song. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.