God’s promise to the distressed soul

Tom Harper

Summarize with ChatGPT

God is known for giving his people endurance and encouragement (Rom. 15:5). Could you or someone you know use some of that?

In 1678, Puritan writer John Flavel described a feeling many of us have today: "There have been difficulties that have staggered your faith in the promises, and made you doubt whether the fountain of all-sufficiency would let out itself for your relief…." (from The Mystery of Providence).

He continues, "One word of God can do more than ten thousand words of men to relieve a distressed soul." Following are a few paraphrased Scriptures he suggests when we need extra encouragement:

Psalm 91:15 – The Lord will be with us in trouble
John 16:33 – Christ's inner peace helps us bear outward burdens
Prov. 11:24 and 19:17 – When we give to others, God repays us
Psalm 119:50 – His Word digs deep into our anxious hearts

Flavel says the best way to gain "inward peace and tranquility of mind under puzzling and disturbing troubles" is to commit our case to the Lord. He points to a passage that helps us do this:

Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.
—Ps. 37:5-6a

Lord, help us commit our circumstances to you. Help us trust you. Fulfill your gracious, shining promise.

Waiting,



Tom Harper
Founder, BiblicalLeadership.com
LinkedIn profile | My books


Tom Harper is publisher of BiblicalLeadership.com and executive chairman of Networld Media Group, a business-to-business publisher and event producer. He has written five books, including Servant Leader Strong: Uniting Biblical Wisdom and High-Performance Leadership (DeepWater Books, 2019) as well as the Christian business fable Through Colored Glasses and its sequel Inner Threat (DeepWater, 2022).

Learn More »

More on Leadership Devotions


Don't miss any of this great content! Sign up for our twice-weekly emails:

Free eBook

iRetire4Him: Unlock God’s Purpose for Your Retirement

This excerpt from iRetire4Him: Unlock God’s Purpose for Your Retirement includes portions from chapters 1, 8, and 9, and has been created specifically for the Biblical Leadership community.

Download Now


Our Writers

Christian Muntean is a seasoned expert in fostering business growth and profitability. With a Master's …

David Bowman, (DMin, PCC) is the Executive Director of Tarrant Baptist Association in Fort Worth, …
Ben Marshall is a Pastor at Pathway Church in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. He works with …

Already a member? Sign in below.

  or register now

Forgot your password?

b'S2-NEW'