MONDAY: DELIVER ME FROM DISTRESS

Oct 31, 2022
2 min read

Psalm 25:16-20

Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me, for I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have enlarged; bring me out of my distresses! Look on my affliction and my pain and forgive all my sins. Consider my enemies, for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. Keep my soul, and deliver me; let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You.

Redeem Israel, O God, out of all their troubles!

While David the Psalmist is asking God to turn to him, both David and I should realize that we are the ones who are facing the wrong way. When my heart is troubled and afflicted, I need to turn toward the Lord to receive His mercy. If I am unable to turn on my own, then I ask the Lord to turn me around!

Even amidst my affliction and pain, I confess my sin to the Lord and ask for His forgiveness. It may even be that through my pain, I have sinned against the Lord by turning away from Him. I may be responding in this way due to the cruel hatred displayed by my enemies.

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS: My prayer is for deliverance for my soul from affliction and pain. Instead of fighting against my enemies for them to delivery me, I put my trust in the Lord for Him to deliver me.

I do this with integrity and uprightness. Instead of acting impatiently, I wait for the Lord. It is evident the world also is experiencing much trouble, but I wait for redemption from the Lord, since the world has no power to redeem itself.

The troubles in my life afflict my heart; my troubles have enlarged, and I am in distress. I need not be anxious, but I am. I care so much about the troubles of other people, that I tend to carry this burden within me.

Lord, please deliver me from my distress as I give these burdens to You while turning to face You and asking for Your mercy. Amen.

May you be blessed,

Chaplain Wayne Ruckman