Life on this side of heaven can be hard. I know because I’m alive and can testify from personal experience that life on earth comes with a host of challenges. I’m not contradicting the power of living in the joy of the Lord, I’m just facing the reality of life on our sin infested planet.

I also know that life can be hard because I have the record of scripture which says plenty about the hardships faced by devout followers of God. And one thing that stands out to me in the biblical record is that when life is hard for those trusting the Lord they cry out to him for mercy.

“Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy.” Psalm 86:6

“Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.” (Psalm 130:1-2)

“Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.” (Psalm 4:1)

“Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.” (Psalm 143:1)

God may allow trials in our lives for a variety of reasons, but when we cry to Him for mercy, we can count on him to respond. After all, he showed us the greatest act of mercy of all time when he sent his son Jesus as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. We owed the debt, but he paid the price—that’s mercy! And Romans 8:32, says, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” God will meet us in our time of need and even if he doesn’t remove the trial from us, we can count on him for peace and strength to endure it and glorify him through it.

Are you facing challenges today? Cry to God for mercy and count on him to meet you in your time of need.