It may be a visit to the doctor and a diagnosis that you (or someone dear to you) received… It may be a letter you received from an attorney, a bill collector, or the IRS that is lying on your desk that concerns you… It may be the troubling telephone call you just received or a conversation that didn’t turn out right… Or something else that filled you with anxiety, dread, and deep concern.
There’s a Psalm for that! In fact this morning I read these words as the traditional introduction to Psalm 102 in my Bible: “A prayer of one afflicted when faint and they pour out their complaint before the Lord.”
Psalm 102 is an earnest prayer from someone facing a crisis! My advice? If you a facing any of the situations that I described at the beginning of this devotional reflection… turn the words of Psalm 102 into your prayer! Here’s a few verses from the Psalm I think may be appropriate:
“Hear my prayer, O Lord!
Let my cry come to You!
Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress!
Incline your ear to me!
Answer me speedily in the day when I call!” (Psalm 102:1-2 ESV)
That’s just the introduction to the Psalm! Check out the rest of it (and use whatever is applicable to your crisis and concern as your prayer). You can’t beat “praying the words of Scripture!” They’re inspired by the Holy Spirit!
Coffee With The Lord 