Prayer for Relief of Affliction
By Marsha Iddings
Psalm 119:153 Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law.
There comes a time when we cry out to God to take away our affliction. It's when we are tired and discouraged, feeling that we can't take any more. David was hounded by his enemies and he often felt this way. In God's mercy He inspired David and the other Psalmists to pen their deepest feelings of despair and prayers for deliverance so that we can see we are not the only ones who have felt this way.
The Psalmist cries out to the Lord to "quicken him according unto thy word". The word quicken in the Hebrew means to make alive, to revive or to save. He is asking God to keep His promises when he cries out for Him to quicken him according unto His word. God always keeps His promises. Sometimes it seems like He doesn't, but it's a matter of our perspective. There are some of us who will have to endure hardship and afflictions throughout our life here on this earth. The Apostle Paul was one. He says,
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)
God doesn't promise to always take our afflictions away in this life. Sometimes He chooses to give us the grace to endure them instead. But we can all look forward to the day when each one of us will be healed of our afflictions.
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (1 Corinthians 15:51-54)
What a day that will be!
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.( Revelation 21:4)
Quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word. We can pray this prayer with confidence that God will keep His promises and if He chooses not to relieve us of our afflictions here on earth, we can be confident that He will in eternity. It's a matter of perspective.
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