Each week, I write this devotional post based on whatever God is speaking to me personally. He speaks to me in my “Facetime” with Him, and I simply pass it along to you.
This morning, I was reading and mediating on Psalm 118, which begins, “Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, because His mercy endures forever.” Such a great thought to sink into early in the morning! The psalmist writes about a time when he was “hard pressed” (Ps. 118:5, NIV).
Ever been hard-pressed? I know, me too! Maybe you’re hard-pressed for money. Maybe you’re hard-pressed with the pressures of your to-do list. Maybe you’re hard-pressed with relational difficulties. Maybe you’re hard-pressed with decisions. There are a million ways in this life to feel hard-pressed!
Tucked in this beautiful psalm are three simple truths for the moments when you feel hard- pressed. Not only are these powerful truths for you, but they are simple and powerful enough for your kids or grandkids as well! Ready? Here you go:
3 Heartfelt Truths for When You Feel Hard-Pressed
The Lord is with me (Ps. 118:6). Life is stressful and fearful at times. Demands, deadlines, duties and difficult people all bring elements of pressure to our lives. Even your kids have those pressures. Maybe for them, it’s the test they have to take or the bully on the playground, while for you it might be paying the mortgage or dealing with a difficult co-worker. As long as we are living in this fallen world, we will feel hard-pressed. But the Lord is with you! What peace there is in knowing His presence and power go with you into every difficult situation. This truth is so powerful! Open your Bible to Psalm 118 and circle this phrase in verse 6: “The Lord is with me.”
The Lord is my strength (Ps. 118:14). Not only is the Lord with me, but He provides the strength I need to do what He calls me to do (Isa. 40:29-31, 2 Cor. 12:9-11). I have several friends journeying through chemo right now. They are clinging to the truth that God gives strength each new day. Friend, you might not have cancer (hopefully not), but you might need strength to deal with your struggling teen or your special-needs child. You might need strength today as you wrestle with decisions about aging parents. You might need strength as you battle depression or anxiety. I don’t know what it is for you—I just know that the Lord Himself promises to give you strength.
The Lord is God, and He has made His light shine on us (Ps. 118:27). The Lord you serve is God supreme! He is the Almighty one, and He has brought light—the light of the world—into this very dark world. His name is Jesus! Today, when life feels challenging, remember, Jesus is the Lord God. He is all-powerful, He is with you and He promises to give you strength! {eoa}
Becky Harling, an author, certified speaker, leadership coach and trainer with the John Maxwell Team, is an energetic and motivational international speaker inspiring audiences to overcome their greatest life challenges and reach their full God-given potential. Her most recent book is How to Listen So People Will Talk. Her husband, Steve Harling, is the president of Reach Beyond, a nonprofit organization seeking to be the voice and hands of Jesus around the world.
This article originally appeared at beckyharling.com.
Janet Perez Eckles 
Shawn Akers 
Abby Trivett 
