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Encouraging Friends to Seek God's Guidance in Struggles

When friends are struggling, encouraging them to seek God's guidance involves reminding them of God's presence, comfort, and willingness to hear their prayers. The Bible consistently portrays God as a refuge and source of strength for those in affliction [5].

A primary way to seek God's guidance in struggles is through prayer. The book of James directly exhorts, "Is any among you suffering? Let him pray" [3]. This call to prayer is not merely a suggestion but a fundamental duty for the afflicted [6]. When praying, individuals can ask God to consider their trouble, to grant His presence and support, and to provide divine comfort [6]. They can also seek mitigation of their troubles, deliverance from them, and pardon for sins [6]. Furthermore, prayer can be a means to ask for divine teaching and direction, as seen in Job 34:32 and Psalm 143:10 [6].

Beyond individual prayer, the community of faith plays a crucial role in encouraging those who struggle. Believers are called to pray for the afflicted, sympathize with them, pity them, and bear them in mind [7]. This communal support echoes the sentiment in 2 Corinthians 1:4, which states that God "encourageth us in all our tribulation, to the end we may be able to encourage them who are in any tribulation—through means of the encouragement wherewith we, ourselves, are encouraged by God" [4]. This passage highlights a cycle of divine comfort that empowers believers to extend that same comfort to others [5].

The concept of "communion with God" is central to seeking His guidance. This communion is exemplified by Christ, who set an example of prayer [8]. Access to God is made possible through Christ, by the Holy Spirit, and is obtained through faith [9]. It is a privilege of saints, allowing them to approach God with confidence to obtain mercy and grace [9].

Matthew Henry, in his commentary on Psalm 62:8, encourages all people to "wait upon God" and trust in Him, noting that God is "the confidence of all the ends of the earth" [11]. This waiting involves a deep reliance on God's character and His willingness to intervene. John Gill, commenting on Lamentations 3:36, suggests that instead of murmuring, individuals should "search and try our ways," looking into God's love, the covenant of grace, and the Scriptures for support and instruction during afflictions [10].

In times of crisis, biblical authors often call for God's attention, as seen in Psalms like 35:23 and 44:23, where they implore God to "Wake up" and remedy their situation [12]. This demonstrates a bold trust that God hears and responds to the cries of His people. The Psalmist also invites God to "Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts" (Psalm 139:23), indicating a desire for God's intimate involvement and guidance even in one's inner being [1].

Conversely, the Bible warns against seeking help from false gods in times of trouble. Judges 10:14 presents a stark contrast, with God telling the Israelites, "Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you in your time of trouble" [2]. This underscores the importance of directing one's pleas and trust solely to the one true God.

Sources

  1. Psalms “Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts. -- Psalms 139:23”
  2. Judges “Judges 10:14 (BSB) — Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you in your time of trouble.””
  3. James “Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises. -- James 5:13”
  4. II Corinthians “II Corinthians 1:4 (Rotherham) — Who encourageth us in all our tribulation, to the end we may be able to encourage them who are in any tribulation—through means of the encouragement wherewith we, ourselves, are encouraged by God.”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Afflicted Saints — God is with -- Ps 46:5,7; Isa 43:2. God is a refuge and strength to -- Ps 27:5,6; Isa 25:4; Jer 16:19; Na 1:7. God comforts -- Isa 49:13; Jer 31:13; Mt 5:4; 2Co 1:4,5; 7:6. God preserves -- Ps 34:20. God delivers -- Ps 34:4,19; Pr 12:13; Jer 39:17,18. Christ is with -- Joh 14:18. Christ supports -- 2Ti 4:17; Heb 2:18. Christ comforts -- Isa 61:2; Mt 11:28-30; Lu 7:13; Joh 14:1; 16:33. Christ preserves -- Isa 63:9; Lu 21:18. Christ delivers -- Re 3:10. Should praise God -- Ps 13:5,6; 56:8-10; 57:6,7; 71:20-23. Should imitate Christ -- Heb 12:1-3; 1P”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Affliction, Prayer Under — Exhortation to -- Jas 5:13. That God would consider our trouble -- 2Ki 19:16; Ne 9:32; Ps 9:13; La 5:1. For the presence and support of God -- Ps 10:1; 102:2. That the Holy Spirit may not be withdrawn -- Ps 51:11. For divine comfort -- Ps 4:6; 119:76. For mitigation of troubles -- Ps 39:12,13. For deliverance -- Ps 25:17,22; 39:10; Isa 64:9-12; Jer 17:14. For pardon and deliverance from sin -- Ps 39:8; 51:1; 79:8. That we may be turned to God -- Ps 80:7; 85:4-6; Jer 31:18. For divine teaching and direction -- Job 34:32; Ps 27:11; 143:10. Fo”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Afflicted, Duty Toward The — To pray for them -- Ac 12:5; Php 1:16,19; Jas 5:14-16. To sympathise with them -- Ro 12:15; Ga 6:2. To pity them -- Job 6:14. To bear them in mind -- Heb 13:3. To visit them -- Jas 1:27. To comfort them -- Job 16:5; 29:25; 2Co 1:4; 1Th 4:18. To relieve them -- Job 31:19,20; Isa 58:10; Php 4:14; 1Ti 5:10. To protect them -- Ps 82:3; Pr 22:22; 31:5.”
  8. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Communion With God — Christ set an example of -- Lu 19:41,42. Exhortation to -- Ro 12:15; 1Pe 3:8. Exercise towards The afflicted. -- Job 6:14; Heb 13:3. The chastened. -- Isa 22:4; Jer 9:1. Enemies. -- Ps 35:13. The poor. -- Pr 19:17. The weak. -- 2Co 11:29; Ga 6:2. Saints. -- 1Co 12:25,26. Inseparable from love to God -- 1Jo 3:17; Joh 4:20. Motives to The compassion of God. -- Mt 13:27,33. The sense of our infirmities. -- Heb 5:2. The wicked made to feel, for saints -- Ps 106:46. Promise to those who show -- Pr 19:17; Mt 10:42. Illustrated -- Lu 10:33; 15:20. Exemp”
  9. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Access to God — Is of God -- Ps 65:4. Is by Christ -- Joh 10:7, 9; 14:6; Ro 5:2; Eph 2:13; 3:12; Heb 7:9, 25; 10:19; 1Pe 3:18. Is by the Holy Spirit -- Eph 2:18. Obtained through faith -- Ac 14:27; Ro 5:2; Eph 3:12; Heb 11:6. Follows upon reconciliation to God -- Col 1:21,22. In Prayer -- See Prayer. De 4:7; Mt 6:6; 1Pe 1:17. In his temple -- Ps 15:1; 27:4; 43:3; 65:4. To obtain mercy and grace -- Heb 4:16. A privilege of saints -- De 4:7; Ps 15:1; 23:6; 24:3,4. Saints have, with confidence -- Eph 3:12; Heb 4:16; 10:19,20. Vouchsafed to repenting sinners -- See Repen”
  10. Lamentations (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Lamentations 3:36: Let us search and try our ways,.... stead of murmuring and complaining, let us search for something that may support and comfort, teach and instruct, under afflictive providences; let us search into the love of God, which, though it cannot be fully searched out, it will be found to be from everlasting to everlasting; and that all afflictions spring from it; and that it continues notwithstanding them: let us search into the covenant of grace, in which provision is made for afflictions in case of disobedience, and for supports under them: let us search the Scriptu”
  11. Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 62:8: Here we have David's exhortation to others to trust in God and wait upon him, as he had done. Those that have found the comfort of the ways of God themselves will invite others into those ways; there is enough in God for all the saints to draw from, and we shall have never the less for others sharing with us. I. He counsels all to wait upon God, as he did, Psa 62:8. Observe, 1. To whom he gives this good counsel: You people (that is, all people); all shall be welcome to trust in God, for he is the confidence of all the ends of the earth, Psa 65:5. You people of th”
  12. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 44:23: 44:23-26 In the end, God’s people can turn to the Lord and trust him for rescue. Their petition for God to remedy their situation is as strong as their lament about God’s rejection. 44:23 Wake up: Biblical authors often call for God’s attention in a crisis (35:23; 44:23; 73:20; 80:2; Mark 4:38).”
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