Ready:
“When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” – Psalm 56:3-4
Set:
No matter how tough we may be, all of us encounter fear at times. It might be the fear of failure in our sport. Perhaps the opponent lined up across from us is pretty intimidating. Maybe we struggle with fears about the future. We can experience fear when it comes to a relational challenge, something happening in our family or financial issues.
According to the title of Psalm 56, David writes this psalm while on the run for his life. The current king, Saul, feels threatened by David’s popularity and is attempting to hunt him down so he can eliminate him. In verses 1-2, David describes his situation: “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.”
David acknowledges the fear he’s feeling, but he is determined to be defined instead by faith (v. 3): “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.” As we are faced with fears, we can respond with this same resolve. How? Consider the game plan for faith we see in verse 4.
First, trust God’s Word. David begins verse 4 with, “In God, whose word I praise.” Through what He has spoken, God reveals His unchanging character, His promises for us, His purposes for the ups and downs of life, and His plans for the future. We have all of this in His Word, the Bible. When we listen to what God says in the Scripture, we can trust Him in the face of fear.
Second, trust God’s sovereignty. In the second half of v. 4, David reassures himself with this: “in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” David is saying, “God, I trust your sovereignty over all. You are in charge. Those around me can’t do anything to me that threatens your ultimate plan for me.” We, too, can trust God’s sovereignty in every situation. He is in control. We still live in a broken, sin-damaged world in which fearful things occur. But no matter what we experience, nothing can undermine God’s ability to unfold His redemptive plan for us.
There will be times when you encounter fear, whether in your sport or another area. In these situations, remind yourself of why you can trust the Lord. His Word is true, and He is sovereign overall. You can then say with David, “In God I trust; I will not be afraid.”
Go:
What fears are you struggling with that you need to bring to God?
What steps can you take to cultivate deeper trust in God’s Word and His sovereignty?
Workout:
Overtime:
“Lord, I praise You because You are always trustworthy. When I am afraid, I choose to trust in You, Your Word, and Your sovereignty. Thank You that You are present with me. Amen.”