Prayer of the Week

Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For You have been a shelter for me,
A strong tower from the enemy.
Psalm 61.1-3

There are very few things in life that are worse than a feeling of hopelessness. Fortunately, most of us do not have experiences that cause us to know what hopelessness feels like. We get discouraged. We get disappointed. We can be filled with fear or guilt or remorse or regret. But generally speaking, hopelessness is beyond us, most of the time.

There is an answer for hopelessness, though. Turning to the Lord is the perfect antidote for all times of hopelessness and despair. The Psalmist turned to the Lord when he was overwhelmed. In fact, he found God to be a "rock," a "shelter" and a "strong tower." You see, hopelessness sets in when we are powerless. When we can do nothing about our circumstances or our future. We get discouraged when we are not in control of our lives.

But God not only has an answer, He is the answer. And although this may seem like a trite solution or a simplistic and unrealistic response to difficulty, God is a rock, a stabilizing force. The Lord can be for you a source of encouragement and security no matter how difficult life may be.

PRAYER: Sometimes I can do nothing about my situation, Lord. It seems that things only happen to me. Help! Be the source of stability and security for me. Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. Give me hope. Amen.