THE ANGUISHED CRY

The prayers of those whose lives are smooth and serene are markedly different from the prayers of those whose lives are ragged and rugged. The prayers of the latter are often anguished entreaties poured from hearts about to break…

God does the extraordinary when people realize their inadequacy and learn to call on Him in anguish of heart and utter dependence…

The pain that prompts the anguished cry does not magically disappear once the cry is uttered. But knowing that the cry has been heard and will be answered alleviates the pain. In the anticipation of the answer, healing has begun.

Then Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the Lord! Oh, how the Lord has blessed me! Now I have an answer for my enemies, as I delight in Your deliverance. No one is Holy like the Lord! There is no one besides You; there is no Rock like our God.”  (1 Samuel 2:1-2 NLT)

-- Excerpted from Stuart Briscoe in “Daily Study Bible for Men”

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STUBBORN JOY

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”  (Psalm 30:5b NKJV)

We don’t like to admit it, but pain is a fact of life. Sooner or later the “p” word comes into everyone’s path. And when it does how do you deal with it? Do you let pain conquer your spirit, or do you stare it down, armed with a “stubborn joy”? Even in pain God is near. He wants you to grasp the peace that defies pain. He wants to be with you, facing pain with His holy joy. Only He can show you the path to a defiant peace…

Jesus embodied a stubborn joy. A joy that refused to bend in the wind of hard times. A joy that held its ground against pain. A joy whose roots extended deep into the bedrock of eternity.

-- Max Lucado in “Peace That Defies Pain”