In the “hard place,” there can often be the feelings of isolation, or misunderstanding, that those around you don’t understand, and perhaps they don’t but there is ONE who does, The LORD Jesus. And even in this “hard-place” you presently find yourself in, He is at work. He is  working it all- including this present trial you are in for “good!” Understanding the “good” He is working from this “hard-place,” for He has promised “all things work together for good to those who love Him and are the called…”{Rom 8:28}.  And the “good,” in the hard place is being used to turn you to speaking to Him, trusting Him as He conforms you to the image of Christ-{Rom 8;29}. And He Himself knows what it is like to be in a “HARD-PLACE.” In Gethsemane such was the pressure as He prayed, He sweated great drops of blood, and on the Cross- the hardest of all places, bearing the wrath of God and bearing our sins, He still prayed, for the Father’s glory and the benefit of His…ENEMIES! He has been in the “Hard Place,” and so we can take comfort from Him, as we read, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”– {Heb 4:15}. He “empathizes,” means “to feel the very feelings we feel,” He has been there, done it, understands. He Knows what you are going through. The comforting truth is you do not have to explain to Him, how you are feeling. He knows, He empathizes and because He has and now has made the way for you in the hard place, and now as our Great, Superior High Priest He bids us come and says “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”-{Hebrews 4:16}.  You can say, “I Know HE knows! and cares!” And in my “hard-place” I press on and pray by faith as faith Pleases Him- {Read Hebrews 11;6} and when we pray we are expressing Love to Him. -{Read John 14:1} I understand this! So I choose to pray to Him in the “hard place, because it honors Him as I do.”

But KNOW THIS…in the Hard place… He has PROVISION for you. He bids you come to him and Receive from Him. He has promised He will supply, mercy and grace to Help in our time of need!

1.-“MERCY”{eleos} is active compassion for those who are in difficulty or distress. It is the outward sign of what is an inward reality. A pity so great it moves the person to help compassionately relieve the one who is suffering.

“Mercy is the outward manifestation of pity, a compassion for one suffering which is so great that it moves the compassionate one to help. Mercy refers to the outward manifestation of pity and assumes need on the part of those who receive it and sufficient resources to meet the need on the part of those who show it. -{precetaustin commentaries}. “Hiebert defines mercy as “the self-moved, spontaneous loving kindness of God which causes Him to deal in compassion and tender affection with the miserable and distressed.” Wuest writes that “eleos” is “God’s “kindness and good will toward the miserable and afflicted, joined with a desire to relieve them” 

“The idea is to show kindness or concern for someone in serious need or to give help to the wretched, to relieve the miserable. Here the essential thought is that mercy gives attention to those in misery.

Mercy includes three elements:

1. “I see the need”—that’s recognition.

2. “I am moved by the need”—that’s motivation.

3. “I move to meet the need”—that’s action. Having a feeling of sorrow over someone’s bad situation I now want to try to do something about it.”-{Preceptaustin commentaries}

2. – “GRACE”- His favor, empowering to face the difficulty, trial and honor Him with your response as we face a trial, temptation, difficulties, and not only face them but overcome them and honor Him as He imparts grace to empower you to do so!

3. -“HELP”-  “boetheia [word study] is the noun derived from boetheo (997)] = to help — from combination of boé = a cry, exclamation + theo = to run) draws an incredible word picture of one who upon hearing a cry for help, runs to give aid to assist or to succor. Boetheia describes the assistance offered to meet a need. In secular Greek, this word was used to describe a medical aid or a cure. Boetheia is only twice in the NT.”- {preceptaustin}

So in your ‘Hard-Place,’ come to Him who now is upon the Throne of Grace and receive from Him, mercy, grace to help… when? In time of need. It is the needy one who comes to Him RECEIVES  FROM HIM.

So In the ‘Hard Place,’ pray on knowing He understands and as you do pray you are expressing Love to Him and the fact you have turned to Him is pleasing Him!!  Everybody chooses how they respond in the “hard place,” you can responds knowing He understands and that turning to Him, pleases, expresses love to Him, and this is why you pray from “the hard place,” and that you come Specifically to Him, to receive from Him mercy, and grace to HELP in your time of need!

You are never alone or never without the resources you need to Honor Him in the “hard-place” He provides MERCY, GRACE , HELP in your time of need!