". . . rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation,
continuing steadfastly in prayer."
Romans 12:12
A woman said to her husband, "I have so much pressure on me. I don't know what to do. I can't stand much more." Her husband quietly replied, "Honey, I want to help you. Tell me what I can do. More than that, I'm praying that the Lord will help you. I know that He will." The word tribulation in our verse for today means to be under pressure. It literally means to be squeezed by pressure. All of us feel the "squeeze" of life from time to time. It may be problems with family, finances, job demands or many more things. Through it all, we can be assured that the Lord wants to help us.
God never promises us that we will not have pressure in this life. No one is exempt. The question is, what should we do when we experience the pressures of life? The apostle Paul encouraged believers to continue steadfast in prayer. Our prayers don't guarantee that God will dismiss all of our troubles. He does guarantee that He will be with us through them. The Holy Spirit works in the heart of every believer to provide joy, patience and hope. These three words define the strength that we need to face the pressures of life.
Pressure is not always a bad thing. Let me illustrate. Your automobile tires need a certain amount of pressure to move safely and properly. However, too much pressure could be very dangerous. The owner of the automobile must know just how much pressure to maintain in the tires. We can rest assured that God our Father will not allow pressure to destroy us. But, He will use pressure to lead us to prayer. He won't take away all the pressure, but He will teach us through the Spirit how to move on in life with joy, patience and hope.
Father, fill us with joy, patience, and hope to overcome the pressures of life, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
