Tuesday, November 2, 2021 Some material taken from God’s Got This
Be gracious to me, God, for a man is trampling me; He fights and oppresses me all day long. My adversaries trample me all day, for many arrogantly fight against me. Psalm 56:1-2
The Choice To Trust
God’s word really is so perfect for us. it gives us answers to every single difficulty we will ever encounter in this life. David knew difficulties, and he wrote Psalm 56 from a place of being tormented by them. He knew where to go when he was being tormented.
We may not have an army of Philistines afrer us physically, but many days it can feel like it. Lots of “enemies” torment us in this life - addiction, illness, financial hardship, family troubles, and so much more. Satan loves for us to be tormented, but this is never God’s plan for us. He delivered us and we are safe in Him, but the advesary still prowls, roaring at us. He wants to steal our peace and crush our joy. The victory is already ours, but satan does all he can to make us think we are defeated. We don’t have to live in this torment. We can be free from it, but where can we go when we feel tormented by our ”enemies?” Like David, we can go to the only one who can help.
Psalm 56 speaks to everyone who feels like the world is falling apart and they are feeling the pressures of physical, financial or emotional enemies. David wrote about all the things he felt and experienced as he dealt with this threat.
Fluctuations of courage and faith characterize the devout soul. - Van Houser
When we are being attacked by enemies of any kind, it is normal for us to struggle a little in our faith. When the enemy is closing in fast and we feel the firey darts whizzing past our head, it can cause us to ask God “Where are you?” We can feel fear and still have faith. We are human as well as being Christians and sometimes these overlap - and that may be our greatest struggle. We know what we know, but we feel what we feel. We have to learn to trust what we know, and not always what we feel.
When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, In God I trust,
I will not be afraid. Psalms 56:3-4
We may not only turn to God when we are afraid, hurt, struggling in some way, or sick, but we do turn to Him much faster in any of those situations. He should be our first call and our safe place. He should be the first one we turn to in these times, because no one else on earth can do for us what He can - and that is to give us peace on the battlefield. The one antagonist of fear, or anything we face, is faith. Remember those firey darts whizzing past your head? The shield of faith is what deflects them away from you. Trust, is a choice and faith will enable us to trust God when our circumstances are threatening. When we focus on circumstances, we will not have peace. In fact, focusing on our circumstances will steal our peace, and give us anxiousness in return. Often we have no control over what is happening in our lives, or even the fear we feel, but we have control over what we focus on. Focusing on God and trusting Him will restore that peace and, continue to give us peace, no matter what comes our way.
Brother Van has always said Your strength is directly related to your faith; and your faith is directly related to your knowledge of God. This week he added this statement to the end - AND your willingness to trust in Him.We must be willing to trust in God when the world is on fire around us! If we don’t, the heat from the flames will take us out. We have to be willing to trust even if - not when _____ happens. And - should the heat from the flames take you out (it happens), don’t stay down. Allow your faith in God to pull you up and get right back at it. He is faithful. He is for you and with you in every moment, even if it doesn’t feel like it. Make the choice to trust in HIM over anything else.
