The Gift of Pressure
Like a parent steadying a child learning to ride, God supports us through every pressure, teaching us trust.
Devotional Credit: Days of Heaven on Earth by A. B. Simpson
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Today’s devotional from A.B. Simpson offers a wise and loving perspective on why God allows His children to experience pressure, conflict, and inward fear. Based on 2 Corinthians 7:5, it reminds us that the trials pressing in from every direction are not signs of God’s absence. Rather, they are His invitations to lean in, to rest more deeply in His provision, and to trust more fully in His power.
The human tendency is to crave comfort and escape discomfort. But God uses discomfort to accomplish something far greater; dependency on Him. Trials remind us that we are not the source of life. The treasure is within us, but the vessel is earthen, fragile, and finite. That weakness is not a liability. It is the very stage upon which the strength of God is most clearly seen.
Even Jesus lived in continual dependence on the Father. He never operated out of self-sufficiency. That model was not just an example. It was an invitation. We are not called to mimic His behavior by effort. We are called to live from the same union He lived from trusting, resting, yielding.
Faith is not learned in ease. It is forged in fire. Trials are not punishments. They are the classrooms where trust becomes treasure. Once that lesson is embraced, faith becomes more valuable than ease, more enduring than riches. And the riches it brings are eternal.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I have not left you in your trial. I have drawn near. The pressure you feel is not random. It is permitted so that you may learn to rest more completely in Me. My grace does not always remove the burden. Sometimes, it supports you beneath it. Sometimes, it transforms the burden into a blessing.
Your life is hidden in Me. The strength you need is not summoned from within your own resolve. It flows from My life in you. I placed this treasure in your frailty so that you would never mistake the source. My power is made perfect in your weakness. You do not need to overcome the pressure. You need to yield to My presence within it.
I taught you to trust Me by leading you into places where trust was the only option. I led you gently, even when the way felt severe. I have never taken My hand off of you. And I never will. Faith is My gift, and I am nurturing it in you day by day.
You belong to Me. And no trial can separate you from My love.
Scripture References: 2 Corinthians 7:5, 2 Corinthians 4:7, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Colossians 3:3, Romans 5:3–5, Hebrews 12:2, John 5:19, Philippians 1:6, Isaiah 41:10, Romans 8:35–39, Psalm 55:22
Real-Life Analogy
Picture a child learning to ride a bike without training wheels. At first, their parent holds the back of the seat, guiding and steadying. The child feels the weight of uncertainty and tension in their chest. But over time, with the gentle presence of the parent and the occasional stumble, they learn to trust the process. They’re never really on their own. The hand is still there, just enough behind the scenes to let them discover a new kind of confidence.
God teaches us faith like that. He doesn’t disappear. He walks with us, steadies us, and lets the pressure of uncertainty shape deeper trust.
If today feels unsteady or overwhelming, speak quietly to the Lord. Say, “Lord, I trust You to carry me through this pressure. Live through me today, steadying me with Your peace and guiding me moment by moment.” Whether you are dealing with a tight schedule, difficult conversation, or unknown outcome, let Him be your center.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, I thank You for the trials that teach me to trust. I praise You that You never ask me to walk through them alone. You are in me, sustaining me, revealing the treasure of faith in places I never thought it would grow.
I rest in Your provision. I rejoice that my weakness is not a problem to solve but a place for Your power to shine. Thank You for steadying me, not just in the victories, but in the pressures that teach me to lean on You. I yield to You today, confident that You will live Your life through me.