In the day that I called, you answered me. You encouraged me with strength in my soul. Psalm 138:3 WEB
In this passage, David reveals the benefit of believing in something greater than himself. He has a source of encouragement and strength that can only come from the Lord. Through faith in God, David receives the comfort of our Creator.
Calling out to the Lord in his trouble, David is encouraged and strengthened because he knows the goodness of God. He knows that the Lord will protect him. This is the power of belief. It affects us on a deep spiritual and emotional level.
David called out to the Lord and said of God, “you answered me.” The Lord hears our petitions and responds to them. We read in Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him. WEB”
He Hears The Righteous
When we are at our lowest point and cry out to the Lord, God responds not only to our words but to the desperation and emotion of our plea. He knows our thoughts, but he also knows exactly how we feel. God knows precisely what we need in that moment.
It is, however, important to understand that for prayer to be effective, we must be in right standing with God. As we read in Proverbs 15:29 “The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. NIV” For prayer to be effective, we cannot have a wedge of sin between us and God.
Fortunately, God is faithful to forgive repentant sinners. As we read in 1 John 1:19, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. WEB” Like David, a follower of Christ exclaims, “I called to you for forgiveness and you answered me with eternal life.”
Each time we pray, we are developing our relationship with God. When we experience the closeness that we feel in prayer, we are anchoring ourselves in belief to the Lord. Taking refuge in God, he encourages and strengthens the believer.
You Encouraged Me
The Lord does not always give us what we want but we can be sure that he will give us what we need. It may be that the burden David was referring to was not removed, but the Lord gave him the strength to endure in his struggle. As he says, “You encouraged me with strength in my soul.”
God is always with those who believe in him and serve him. As Jesus said to his disciples in Matthew 28:20, “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. WEB” With Jesus Christ as our Savior, we can count on God to hear and answer our prayers. The Lord will give us strength to get through any situation.
Prayer: “Father God, thank you for hearing my prayers. Thank you for all the times I called out and you answered me.Give me what I need for today and guide my steps. Help me to live a life that is pleasing to you. In Jesus’ name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: Who Will Roll Away the Stone?
