Affliction quickens the spirit of prayer; Jonah was asleep in the ship, but in prayer in the whale's belly.
Perhaps in a time of health and prosperity we pray in a cold and formal manner putting no coals to the incense; we are careless about our own prayers, and how could we expect God to answer them? Then God sends some trial or other, to make us take hold of Him. "They poured out a prayer when Thy chastening was upon them." Isa. 26:1616Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them. (Isaiah 26:16). Now their prayer pierced the heavens.
In times of trouble we pray feelingly, and we never pray so fervently as when we pray feelingly. When God puts His children in the school of affliction, He deals with them tenderly, because He does not leave them without a promise. "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able." 1 Cor. 10:1313There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13).
He will not lay a giant's burden upon a child's back, nor will He stretch the strings of the instrument too much, lest they should break. If God sees it good to strike with one hand, He will support with the other. Either He will make the faith stronger, or make the yoke lighter.