傑銘長期和慢性疾病搏鬥，飽受病痛折磨。儘管他渴望每天早晨都能花時間親近上帝，向上帝禱告，思想聖經真理，但傑銘只要坐在椅子上，無論如何調整坐姿，都會感到疼痛。最後他在絕望中跪了下來，就在那一刻，這跪下禱告的姿勢竟舒緩了劇烈的疼痛。從那天起，傑銘每天早晨都以這個最適合自己的姿勢親近上帝，在禱告中呼求上帝，經歷祂賜下的安慰。

猶大國的約沙法王也面臨一場搏鬥，但不是來自身體的疼痛，而是敵軍的攻擊（歷代志下20章1-2節）。當約沙法王聽到敵軍來襲的消息，「便懼怕，定意尋求耶和華」（3節），全國百姓也「求耶和華幫助」（4節）。上帝垂聽他們的禱告，祂的靈降在利未人雅哈悉身上，於是雅哈悉向約沙法王傳達安慰的信息：「不要恐懼，也不要驚惶。⋯⋯耶和華與你們同在」（15、17節）。約沙法就「面伏於地」，眾人也「俯伏在耶和華面前，叩拜耶和華」（18節）。

在痛苦和困難的時刻，我們常常能夠更深刻地感受到上帝的同在。祂會幫助我們順服祂的旨意，以謙卑禱告的心時刻仰望祂，讓我們在祂裡面得到安慰與平安。

A lengthy battle with a chronic illness had taken its toll on Jimmy. Though he desired to spend time with God each morning, praying to Him and meditating on the Scriptures, he couldn’t find a way to position his body in his chair that wasn’t painful. He shifted from side to side, but there was no relief. Finally, in desperation, he fell to his knees. As he did, that prayerful posture proved to lessen the agonizing ache. In the mornings that followed, Jimmy spent time with God on his knees—experiencing comfort even as he called out to Him in prayer.

Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, also faced a battle—not with pain but with threatening enemies (2 Chronicles 20:1-2). The king was “terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance” (v. 3 nlt). All the people of Judah sought “help from the Lord” as well (v. 4). God heard their prayers, and His Spirit came upon a Levite named Jahaziel, who delivered this comforting message to the king: “Do not be afraid or discouraged . . . . The Lord will be with you” (vv. 15, 17). Jehoshaphat “bowed down with his face to the ground,” and everyone “fell down in worship before the Lord” (v. 18).

In painful and challenging times, we can often experience God’s nearness in a powerful way. As He helps us submit to His will and live out a prayerful posture in our hearts, we can find comfort and peace in Him.