Psalm 31 – Day 1
“So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the LORD!" – Psalm 31:24 NLT
Why do we fear? Why do we doubt? When we serve a God who is as great as ours is and loves us like He does, what in the world would cause us to ever distrust of doubt Him? Probably our own human weakness and sin. In our limited understanding, we know of no one or nothing that is as strong as God is. We have no experience with anyone who is as reliable and trustworthy as God is. We tend to judge God based on human standards and our own limitations. If we truly believed God was all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving, would we fear as much? Would we doubt as much? Would we worry as much as we do? It seems that a big part of the journey for us as Christ-followers is to learn to trust God more and to fear life less. In this Psalm, David seems to ebb back and forth between a strong confidence in God and a wavering doubt. He says, "Save me, for you do what is right" (Psalm 31:1 NLT). He calls God his rock and his fortress, and his faithful God. He talks of God's unfailing love and mercy. But then David seems to change tones. He says, "Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes. My body and soul are withering away. I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Sin has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within" (Psalm 31:9-10 NLT). David faces the daily reality of life living in a fallen world. He has to confront wickedness and the influence of sinful people who make it hard to live the life of faith. There is a constant battle between trusting God and living in the midst of difficult circumstances that are constantly attempting to shake our faith in Him. Knowing and serving God does not guarantee us an easy road or a life free from difficulty. It promises us a God who loves us enough to care about what is happening to us and is powerful enough to do something about it. David seemed to know that from experience. In spite of his difficulties, he turned to God. He knew where the source of his help and hope was to be found. In God alone. David states confidently, "But I am trusting you, O LORD, saying, 'You are my God!' My future is in your hands" (Psalm 31:14-15a NLT). All David had to do was remember the countless times God had rescued him before, whether it was when the city was under attack and God rescued them from defeat, or God heard David's cry of personal need and answered. God had proven Himself faithful in the past, and David knew God would prove Himself faithful in the future. He could be trusted. Which is why David could say with confidence, "So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the LORD!"
Father, thank You that You can be trusted. And because You can be trusted, I can be brave and strong. May my courage increase daily as I learn to rely on and trust in You. May I increasingly learn to put my hope in You. Amen