“Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.”
April 13, 2026
Many of us want to use God like our spare tires rather than our steering wheels. We want to wait until we have spiritual blowouts and see if God will come and help us, rather than doing as Jesus taught us to do by seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. (See Matthew 6:33.) Why does God allow us to have problems? To cause us to do exactly what Jehoshaphat did: to seek Him!
Did you know that if we never had problems, most likely we would not seek God? When are the times you’ve grown the most? Be honest. When everything was fine? Likely, the times God was the nearest, dearest, and most real to you—the times when you agonized in prayer and found God to be faithful—were when you were going through trouble. That’s what David said: “Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress” (Psalm 4:1, KJV).
Journal about a difficult time when you grew in dependence on God. Write about the unique blessings that came out of that time.
Pain changes us, whether it strikes suddenly like a storm or settles slowly like a long winter night. A part of the Timeless Truth Collection, Hope in Suffering walks readers through Scripture, devotional encouragement, and the wisdom of Pastor Adrian Rogers to show that God has not abandoned them in the fire; He is present, faithful, and near.