Ready:
"The LORD is my light and my salvation – whom should I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life – whom should I dread?” — Psalm 27:1
Set:
Psalm 27 reads like a coach giving a pep talk to his or her team just before they face their toughest opponents. It starts with the truth of who the team is and then goes on to remind each of the competitors what happens when they believe that truth.
That’s the thing about us – we often need reminders of the truth. Remembering the truth about YAHWEH is transformational for those who follow Him. When we remember and speak the truth about God to ourselves it affects how we view ourselves and how we live our lives, especially in the really hard moments.
As a former coach, I vividly remember giving a half-time talk to my downcast middle school basketball players. We were getting beaten badly. It felt like every call was against us, and we could not make a shot. The prospect of going back out on the court for another half was not enticing. In the huddle, we reminded ourselves of what we knew to be true about our team.
The second half was better. The girls played with joy and encouraged one another. Sure, we lost but remembering the truth at half-time changed how we viewed that game. It didn’t define our team or even individual players.
David does the same thing in Psalm 27. Something hard is going on in his life. He mentions evildoers, foes, enemies and war breaking out. But he doesn’t complain. He starts by reminding himself of the truth about God. “The LORD is my light and my salvation...”(v 1). “The LORD is the stronghold of my life...”(v 1). “For he will conceal me in his shelter . . . he will hide me under the cover of his tent.” (v 5). “...the LORD cares for me.” (v 10).
Remembering those truths then transforms David’s response. “. . .whom should I fear?” (v 1). “. . .whom should I dread?” (v 1). “I will still be confident.” (v 2). “I am certain I will see the LORD’s goodness. . .” (v 13). When we take a moment and remember the truth about who God is and all that is true about His work among His people, we shift our perspective off the hard moment and onto the One who is always there for us.
Go:
How do you handle hard moments and trials?
How might the Lord be prompting you to change how you handle those times?
Spend some time remembering who God is and what He has already done in your life.
Workout:
Overtime:
“Lord, I often forget all that You have done for me. All Your amazing works from Creation to now. Help me remember and be grateful. Grow my connection to You so that my identity is not tied to circumstances but to You – the One who is always there and never changes. I love You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”