Have you ever prayed something similar to the psalmist’s words? When I am deeply hurting, I want the Lord to hear me and answer NOW. Of course, I usually want Him to immediately remove whatever is causing me pain. But I’ve learned something in the past half century… God can use my pain for my good. When all is well, I’m much less likely to seek Him on a daily basis. When I face no conflict, my faith doesn’t gain strength. When I never experience discomfort, I have a hard time feeling empathy for others who are hurting. The thing is, God always answers us when we cry out to Him. His answer isn’t always what we want, but it’s always what will benefit us the most in light of eternity.