​Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He delivered them out of their distresses. And He led them forth by the right way, That they might go to a city for a dwelling place…
 
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces…
 
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions…
 
Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, So that its waves are still.
 
- Psalm 107:6-7,13-14,19-20,28-29
 
Tuesday, I began an experiment to see the Lord do a breakthrough in my prayer life. I’ve been listening to a series on prayer by Pastor James Macdonald and the Sunday before last he said he was doing another 40 days to continue the work the Lord has started and I felt like I had another chance to get in the game. Well I had been thinking about prayer and studying prayer, but I resisted actually doing what he had said to do on a consistent basis.
 
Ever done that? Say, “I wish things would change – God show me what to do – and then don’t do what He shows you and be frustrated that things don’t change?” So I surrendered and said to God, “OK, I will obey and see what You will do.” I resisted because they sounded too simple and some things are just not my natural personality to do.

1. Get alone
2. Kneel down
3. Out loud
4. With a list
5. By faith

 
See, nothing really profound here and how can doing these simple things really bring about a breakthrough? Get alone, ok that one was easy, that’s what I do all the time, check....

Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me.  – Psalms 86:17
 
Many burdens upon my heart and mind this week and I was praying earlier for God to bring relief. These burdens are too great and I’m tired of the load, the stress of my job, the anxiety that always keeps invading my mind and having to fight and wrestle against it. I’ve been working for months at my job to get things ready for an upcoming inspection and so much has been out of my control with each week having disaster after disaster happening. Then to just top it all off, my boss gets an anonymous email from one of the tenants in the mobile home park literally dragging my name through the mud.
 
I was just done. I wish I could do more and have everything perfect and when I can’t, I feel like a failure with no hope of recovery. So not only do I get the attacks from outside, but then I also experience the attacks that come from within my mind. As I prayed for relief, I started reading verses all dealing with promises during hard times, oh how timely. But the phrase, “token for good,” kept repeating to me. And really it’s the whole of Psalm 86.
 
“Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me; For I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am holy; You are my God; Save Your servant who trusts in You! Be merciful to me, O Lord, For I cry to You all day long. Rejoice the soul of Your servant, For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; And attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me.”       – Psalm 86:1-5
 
God I’m overwhelmed with my troubles and burdens of this life; they are too big for me to carry or fix on my own. I sense my own sin and failings in everything. This is the God we cry out to, the one who hears us, forgives us, and who delivers us in the day of trouble. ​