A Prayer in Our Distresses

by Katy Kauffman

Has God ever surprised you with something in Scripture and you knew it would become a part of your very core for a lifetime? That’s what happened with me and Psalm 107, my favorite chapter in the Bible.

I love looking for words or verses that repeat in Scripture. Do you ever do that? It’s a great Bible study tool to see what God is emphasizing. In Psalm 107, there are two verses that are each repeated four times. They show the effect of desperate needs that the people faced, and we have similar needs today. What are the verses that repeat?

“Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.” (Psalm 107:6 NKJV*)

A Hero at work.

And then the right reaction to such a rescue:

“Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:8)

Giving thanks doesn’t just happen at Thanksgiving. Have you experienced a great need and seen God come through for you exactly when you needed it?

Psalm 107 shows us four scenarios of when people longed for rescue and help, and these four scenarios mirror the needs we have today on a spiritual level:

• v.4-9 – The people needed sustenance and a home of their own.
• v.10-16 – Another group of people needed freedom from affliction.
• v.17-22 – Another set needed healing and deliverance from death.
• v.23-32 – The last set of people needed calm waters in a mighty storm at sea.

And what did God provide? He provided a home, He freed them from bondage, He sent healing and deliverance, and He calmed the storm.  

We need those today—for God to work in our hearts, minds, and lives and give us the rescue and help we desperately need. When we cry out to God for help:

• God satisfies our souls and fills us with His goodness (v.9).
• He brings us out of spiritual darkness and breaks our spiritual chains in pieces (v.14).
• He sends His Word to heal us (v.20).
• He calms our storms so the waves are still, and He guides us to a safe haven (v.29-30).

Oh, that we would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness! For His wonderful works, the ways He delivers us like only He can.

We need God to be our home, our freedom, our healing, and our peace. How can we pray those things for ourselves, our friends, and our country today?

How We Can Pray in Times of Distress

Let’s use the word “we” to combine praying for ourselves and others, and ask God to intervene like only He can. No distress is too big for Him to handle. No storm catches Him off guard. I know our hearts are probably hurting for someone else this week. For a friend or for the desperate situations we’ve seen on the news recently.

Let’s cry out to God for His help. He knows how to work in each situation to turn people to Himself and to give light in darkness, hope in distress, and inner calmness in a “storm.” We could pray something like this:

Dear God, You see the desperate situations so many of us face.

We need sustenance for our hearts—hope and truth to nourish our souls and keep us moving forward. Help us when we feel like we’re wandering and can’t find our way. Guide us to what we need. Guide us straight to You, the ultimate Source of love, nourishment, and strength for our hearts.

We need freedom, Lord. Perhaps from prisons of fear and shackles of uncertainty. Perhaps from self-reliance or anger. From self-made mechanisms for emotional survival. Rescue us from spiritual bondage, and help us to walk closely with You in freedom.

We need healing, Lord. Heal us from our mental and emotional wounds. Heal us if we’ve stumbled in following You. Deliver us from our own destructions, and help us to have an abundant life in Christ, the abundance He died for us to have. Show us how to live—how to do relationships well, how to give our best at our work, and, most of all, how to know You and help others know You.

We need Your peace. When the roar of the storm seems to crowd out Your voice, when the clouds are so dark and we’re not sure which way to turn, when we feel so overwhelmed and defeated—calm the winds, stop the waves, and be our Peace. Guide us to our desired haven—right next to Your heart, under Your wings. And help us to hear You once more say, “Peace, be still.”

God, You know how much we need You personally and how much we need You in our country. Please intervene like only You can—to save souls, strengthen families, unite our communities, help our kids, care for our sick, heal divides, handle crime, and lead us to do good whoever we are and wherever we are.

Oh, that people would give thanks for who You are and what You do! We see it, and we want to share the wonderful works You’ve done in our lives. We will always have something to say that can encourage someone else and point people to You. Give us those opportunities. We’re ready. In Jesus’ name, and we love You, Amen.

“Whoever is wise will observe these things, and they will understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.” (Psalm 107:43)

Discussion Question:

Which one of these would you want to pray the most for yourself? For our country?

• to find our home in God
• to experience freedom found in Jesus’ death for us and His work in us
• to receive healing for past hurts
• to have the peace of God

Tell us in the comments section!

*All Scripture verses are taken from the NKJV.

To read more about God as our Hero in Psalm 107, use the link below to read the article found on pages 16-20, titled “The Answer to Every Heart’s Cry.” It showcases four unforgettable portraits of our great and capable God. May your heart always trust Him. Here’s the link: The Answer to Every Heart’s Cry