When I Am Afraid

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.  

Psalm 56: 3 

What shall we do when we are afraid? Fear is a genuinely human emotion we experience at a most elemental level. We experience it from our earliest days. We observe fear in a tiny infant in reaction to a loud noise or some other stimulus. As we grow older our fears become more sophisticated. Events or experiences from the past may continue to provoke fear in us through memories or triggers. We may face present fears because of peril or some situation which provokes the reaction because of a perceived threat. We may fear the future because of the unknown, or because we have a sense of foreboding about what may occur and the adverse effects of it. David had many occasions in his life which provoked fear. As a young person, he faced a lion and a bear. Later in his youth he faced the giant, Goliath of Gath. In the passage from which our text derives, he was in Goliath’s hometown and the citizens had recognized him as Goliath’s killer. David’s solution was to trust in God when he was afraid. The passage reveals his evangelical trust in Christ. We can learn much from David about how to deal with fear.  

Our Gracious Master and our God, 
we rejoice that You understand what makes us afraid. 
We praise You that we find in You, 
the answer for all our fears. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning