Prayer and Distress
“Prayer is still possible when God seems to be absent, and we can hope in God in the face of present affliction because faith enables the believer to give thanks before the answer is experienced.” (Foundation Study Bible, Psalms 43:5)
“Our natural instincts during distress is to try to solve our own problems. It should be to first turn to God and pray. During one of Christ’s most agonizing moments, when He was literally sweating blood (Luke 22:44), He prayed “more earnestly.” This serves as reminder to us to turn to God and prayer during our worst moments.” (Sacramental Living Blog)
“When life knocks you on your knees, you’re in the perfect position to pray!...I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.” (Anonymous, Abraham Lincoln)
“Trouble and perplexity drive us to prayer, and prayer driveth away trouble and perplexity.” (Phillip Melanchton)
“We cannot escape the dangers which abound in life, without the actual and continual help of God; let us then pray to Him for it continually…One must act in such a way that the soul does not turn to God only when one is standing in prayer, but should do so as far as possible throughout the day. It should be an unceasing offering of one’s self to Him." (Brother Lawrence, St. Theophan the Recluse)