Turn to the Lord in Times of Trouble

 January 25, 2024

Thursday

Psalm 46:1–3 (NASB 2020) 1 God is our refuge and strength, A very ready help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth shakes And the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah

It seems that the news gives us a new existential threat. And where are we supposed to turn? Ourselves! Somehow we change everything we can’t truly explain upon ourselves. We choose something we will call evil and attack it. We believe we can defeat this determined evil. And the best way we are told to do that it to instill fear in the hearts of the people.

The Psalmist turns the Lord in times of trouble. He recognizes that He is the strength needed to defeat any force that comes against him.

Some will say, “Are you saying we should do nothing?” That isn’t the point. We do act. God is our help. He is our strength. He is where we go to recognize that He who loves us will bring us through this. Going to God quells our fear.

The earth shakes and the mountains slip into the heart of the sea but we do not fear. The waters foam and the mountains quake but we do not fear. We take action but we do not fear. We respond to each threat but we do not fear. We defeat the evil but we do not fear.

Fear reveals that we think we are on our own. Fear is a poor motivator. It wont’ last as long as a protracted threat. It causes us to react rather than rationally act. Fear isn’t the answer to great problems.

Knowing God as our refuge means that we can be assured that He has this. We can go to Him without our fears and act without being extremists. We can know what we are doing is right because He leads us to that which is right.

So, we turn to Him when there is trouble. Whether the trouble is global or individual God is the best place to go. Only those who refuse to believe this will refute what I am saying. Why? Because they won’t go there.