Prayer in Suffering
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Intro - In discussing the various aspects of suffering there is a key component that needs to be addressed.
Beyond just how do you respond emotionally or mentally to it…or the reason why you are suffering or facing a trial…what do you do in it? Pray...
TR: The prayer during suffering is fervent, honest, and produces peace...
Fervency
Fervency
Prayer in the midst of trial is passionate
Let’s read a situation and think about the character of God shown here...
In the whole land, declares the Lord,
two thirds shall be cut off and perish,
and one third shall be left alive.
And I will put this third into the fire,
and refine them as one refines silver,
and test them as gold is tested.
They will call upon my name,
and I will answer them.
I will say, ‘They are my people’;
and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ”
Now for a moment don’t focus on when this happened or the situation…only what does this say about God
Here you have God’s judgment and in that judgment He has two thirds perish and one third He keeps for Himself…they don’t perish.
For many we say “amen” and “that’s what I’m talking about!” but then He does something interesting.
He takes the third that He saved and put them into a refining fire. He saved them from perishing only to be thrown into a different trial that would refine them.
And for what? “They will call upon my name, and I will answer them”
There is a depth of calling upon the Lord that can only happen in the fire and there are times when that trial has the powerful purpose of causing you to “call upon the name”
Our hearts are enfeebled by prosperity so that we cannot make an effort to pray - John Calvin
There is a power in suffering that drives you to your knees. Prosperity itself has weakened you into believing that you don’t need God.
I was listening to one guy speak and he said about opportunity that you can’t all of a sudden do something that you’re unprepared for like “pulling an all nighter” in college after you’ve practiced laziness your whole life.
How much more so has the trust you’ve had in your prosperity weakened you?
There are many that are dying and suffering that are facing the cold reality that for all of their investing in body, wealth, happiness in this life, etc. that they still have to come face to face with a God they’ve ignored.
Yet still there are people that are going to face that reality and instead of turning to God they turn away from Him in resentment because He didn’t grant them their wish.
In that case the very thing God was driving them to do, call on His name, they did the opposite.
Family, don’t turn away from the things that drive you to your knees in prayer. CALL UPON HIS NAME! God’s not putting you there just to punish you.
The reality is we have an entire group of Christians that have no idea how to biblically lament, intercess, or practice supplication because they’ve never experienced or know how to embrace suffering.
Instead we respond with panic and despair! We fear the unknown rather than pleading with the Lord of the Unknown!
Family NOW IS THE TIME FOR PRAYER, NOT PANIC…to call out to the Lord because you are in the refining fire…and if you aren’t someone near you probably is and you need to intercede for them.
Wake up early…pray for them…yes pray when it isn’t comfortable for you.
Sometimes it’s maddening how much we serve a youtube, live stream, instant culture where you can get your spiritual fix at the click of a button.
Some of us need to learn how to just sit…in His presence and wait to hear.
Seek His face...When you’re concerned with something or someone more than your beauty rest.
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
Why was He praying? Because He was going to face unimagineable suffering…He implored those that said they loved Him to watch and pray as well!
However, instead of genuine concern for His well being they had to take a nap…after all it had been a long day…and the suffering wasn’t there problem was it.
Yet, their inability to remain steadfast in prayer…led them to fall into what? v. 41
Family, do not think it strange when trials come upon you and drive you to your knees…CALL OUT TO THE FATHER…don’t be weakened by the prosperity of this land!
Rush into the Father’s arms and be viligant, watch and pray fervently, deeply, passionately…let it work down in your soul and then you’ll find comfort in Adonai’s hands.
TR: Not only does suffering lead to fervent prayer but also honest prayer...
Honesty
Honesty
God’s holiness is not in jeopardy with your words
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest.
Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried and were rescued;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
All who see me mock me;
they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
“He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;
let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”
Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts.
On you was I cast from my birth,
and from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
Be not far from me,
for trouble is near,
and there is none to help.
How would you summarize this Psalm so far? In general it’d be “God where are you?”…I heard all these great things about you and now I’m here in the thick of it and you’re not answering me!
Anybody ever felt like that? Anyone ever prayed that?
There’s a beauty in that, that a lot of times we miss. It’s the beauty that is there beneath a child’s cry.
There are times in life we just want to cry…when the pain overwhelms…grief siphons our strength away…exhaustion grips our hearts…and we just want to weep...
Family…then weep. Cry out! Honestly to the Lord…let the suffering have its work and drive you to honest prayer.
When suffering is real…folks don’t have time for the pleasentries in speech.
You all remember those 1-800 commercials where you tricked the pay phone to deliver your message.
Listen when you know the pressure is on…and time is short…you have to function in a limited window of space.
The very definition of being “afflicted” is to be pressed in, crowded, limited in space…what are you going to do with your limited space?
I have faith that like this Psalmist…your despair that’s taken to the Lord…AND IT IS OKAY TO DESPAIR WITH YOUR HEAD LAID UPON HIS CHEST…that it’ll be end with the truth of v. 26
The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;
those who seek him shall praise the Lord!
May your hearts live forever!
The afflicted! Not the prosperous…not those who have it all together…not those who made all the right steps
NO! THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED AND HAVE TURNED TO THE LORD…SOUGHT HIM IN PRAYER…PETITIONED HIM, CRIED OUT TO HIM, THEY SHALL BE SATISFIED!!!
Be honest with your feelings to Him…some of my greatest discoveries of myself have been because I’ve just groaned before Him in emotional pain.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Sometimes it wasn’t the Spirit doing the groaning it was me! Family GO TO HIM! Speak with Him…He’ll carry you...
TR: Lastly, when you do, when you supplicate before Him…THEN you’ll find tranquility...
Tranquility
Tranquility
When that suffering drives you low, weighs you down, remember these words...
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
There is a method to the madness…when suffering has gripped you and God has put you in the refining fire and you CALL OUT!!!
He says the peace of God…which don’t make no sense to this world…”will guard your hearts and your minds”!!
For some of us the thing that is causing the most havoc isn’t the suffering…it’s our mindset in the midst of it.
LAND IT LOUD
Yet here when the suffering, anxiety, worry is met with supplication (which is petitioning God) and thanksgiving (notice that’s IN THE MIDST OF THE ANXIETY), that peace will guard you!
Some of us don’t have peace because we aren’t giving thanks during our time of trouble
Instead of turning to God we turn away, we close off, we hunker down and try to out last it.
Here’s how you outlast suffering....WITH GOD!!! PRAISING HIM…PLEADING WITH HIM…DEPENDING ON HIM…PRAYING TO HIM.
During this time seek Him while He may be found…stir up a powerful prayer life…and watch the peace of God overwhelm your hearts!