“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.” PSALM 4:1
PONDER THIS
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).
How do you relate to this picture of the spare tire versus the steering wheel? Which are you more likely to view God as in your life?
How have you seen your dependence on God grow in difficult times? What can that teach you?
PRACTICE THIS
Journal about a difficult time when you grew in dependence on God. Write about the unique blessings that came out of that time.
LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers
