Practical Ways to Pray for God's Presence in Challenges
In times of challenge, believers are encouraged to seek God's presence through prayer, recognizing that God is a refuge and strength for the afflicted [5]. The Bible frequently calls for prayer during distress, emphasizing that God hears and answers such petitions [4].
One practical way to pray for God's presence is to explicitly ask for it. The Psalmist, for instance, pleads, "O God, be not far from me" [6]. This reflects a desire for God's gracious presence, especially when it feels hidden [6]. Similarly, prayers can request God's support and comfort, as seen in Psalms 10:1 and 102:2, and for the Holy Spirit not to be withdrawn (Psalm 51:11) [1].
Prayer in challenges also involves calling upon God for help and deliverance. The Psalmist declares, "Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness. Give me relief from my distress. Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer" [3]. This aligns with the instruction to "call upon me in the day of trouble" [9]. Such prayers can be for mitigation of troubles (Psalm 39:12,13), for deliverance from difficult circumstances (Psalm 25:17,22), and even for pardon and deliverance from sin (Psalm 39:8; 51:1) [1]. John Gill notes that a time of distress is a time for prayer, and God sometimes allows distress to bring people to prayer [8].
The manner of prayer can vary, including bowing the knees, looking up, lifting up the soul or heart, pouring out the heart or soul, and crying to God [4]. It is a command to "make search for the Lord while he is there, make prayer to him while he is near" [2]. This seeking of God and His strength can be understood as seeking His presence, which was symbolized by the ark in ancient Israel [7].
Sources
- 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 That the Holy Spirit may not be withdrawn -- Ps 51:11.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”
- Isaiah “Isaiah 55:6 (BBE) — Make search for the Lord while he is there, make prayer to him while he is near:”
- Psalms “Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness. Give me relief from my distress. Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer. -- Psalms 4:1”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7; Php 4:6. To be offered To God. -- Ps 5:2; Mt 4:10. To Christ. -- Lu 23:42; Ac 7:59. To the Holy Spirit. -- 2Th 3:5. Through Christ. -- Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19. God hears -- Ps 10:17; 65:2. God answers -- Ps 99:6; Isa 58:9. Is described as Bowing the knees. -- Eph 3:14. Looking up. -- Ps 5:3. Lifting up the soul. -- Ps 25:1. Lifting up the heart. -- La 3:41. Pouring out the heart. -- Ps 62:8. Pouring out the soul. -- 1Sa 1:15. Calling upon the name of the Lord. -- Ge 12:8; Ps 116:4; Ac 22:16. Crying to God. -- Ps 27:7; 34:6. Drawing”
- 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”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 71:12: O God, be not far from me,.... God is everywhere, at hand and afar off, with regard to his being, power, and providence; his glorious presence is in heaven, his gracious presence is with his people; but, when he hides his face, he seems to be at a distance; and this they cannot bear, and therefore deprecate it; see Psa 10:1; O my God, make haste for my help; he knew that his help was in God, and that there was none for him elsewhere; and that he could help him when none else could, and was a present help in time of trouble; and it being such a time with him, and hi”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 105:4: Seek the Lord and his strength,.... The ark, which is called his strength, and the ark of his strength, Psa 78:61, because he had shown his great strength by it, in dividing the waters at Jordan, throwing down the walls of Jericho, and plaguing the Philistines because of it, when among them. This was a symbol of God's presence, before which he was sought by his people; and was a type of our Lord Jesus, the man of God's right hand, whom he has made strong for himself, and who is called his strength, Psa 80:18. Some render it, and which Aben Ezra makes mention of, thou”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 18:5: In my distress I called upon the Lord,.... The great Jehovah, the everlasting I AM, who is the most High in all the earth, and who is able to save, Heb 5:7; and cried unto my God; as Jesus did, Mat 27:46; so the members of Christ, when in distress, as they often are, through sin and Satan, through the hidings of God's face, a variety of afflictions, and the persecutions of men, betake themselves to the Lord, and call upon their God: a time of distress is a time for prayer; and sometimes the end God has in suffering them to be in distress is to bring them to the thro”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 50:14: And call upon me in the day of trouble,.... This is another part of spiritual sacrifice or worship, which is much more acceptable to God than legal sacrifices. Invocation of God includes all parts of religious worship, and particularly designs prayer, as it does here, of which God, and he only, is the object; and which should be performed in faith, in sincerity, and with fervency; and though it should be made at all times, in private and in public, yet more especially should be attended to in a time of affliction, whether of soul or body, whether of a personal, famil”