When You’re Afraid...
Psalm 56:3
Is there a lottery in the state where you live? If so, you know that as the jackpot rises, countless people will line up to buy tickets in the hope of finding a worry-free life. Yet they fail to see that this “dream” is often more like a nightmare. Studies show that major lottery winners do experience changed lives—but the changes are often far more negative than positive. Once solid families give way to broken homes. Long-lost relatives and casual friends come out of nowhere to lobby for their own piece of the winnings. Some have even become victims of fraud or violent crime as a result of their newfound wealth.
Why does this happen? One reason is that the winners soon find out that money doesn’t solve the problems and crises of life. It doesn’t take away their fears or eliminate their vulnerabilities. Worse yet, they’re left to wonder, “If all this money doesn’t take away my problems, what will?” Sadly, they fail to realize that life always includes struggles and uncertainty, no matter who we are or what we possess. We all face circumstances that shake us to the foundation. And when those times come, we need to know where to turn for help and hope. Perhaps the Psalmist said it best in Psalm 56:
When I am afraid, I will trust in you.
If we look to money or possessions for answers when fear grips us, we will be sadly disappointed. But we have a greater option. God invites us to trust Him. Sometimes He will deliver us from the situation; other times He gives us strength to push through. Either way, we can rest assured that trusting God will bring hope and power that money can never buy.
When you find yourself afraid, is trusting God your first response or your last resort? Why?
What does it mean to trust God with your fears? Does trusting God mean you stop looking for solutions, or that you stop trying to help make the situation better?
Psalm 56:3
Is there a lottery in the state where you live? If so, you know that as the jackpot rises, countless people will line up to buy tickets in the hope of finding a worry-free life. Yet they fail to see that this “dream” is often more like a nightmare. Studies show that major lottery winners do experience changed lives—but the changes are often far more negative than positive. Once solid families give way to broken homes. Long-lost relatives and casual friends come out of nowhere to lobby for their own piece of the winnings. Some have even become victims of fraud or violent crime as a result of their newfound wealth.
Why does this happen? One reason is that the winners soon find out that money doesn’t solve the problems and crises of life. It doesn’t take away their fears or eliminate their vulnerabilities. Worse yet, they’re left to wonder, “If all this money doesn’t take away my problems, what will?” Sadly, they fail to realize that life always includes struggles and uncertainty, no matter who we are or what we possess. We all face circumstances that shake us to the foundation. And when those times come, we need to know where to turn for help and hope. Perhaps the Psalmist said it best in Psalm 56:
When I am afraid, I will trust in you.
If we look to money or possessions for answers when fear grips us, we will be sadly disappointed. But we have a greater option. God invites us to trust Him. Sometimes He will deliver us from the situation; other times He gives us strength to push through. Either way, we can rest assured that trusting God will bring hope and power that money can never buy.
When you find yourself afraid, is trusting God your first response or your last resort? Why?
What does it mean to trust God with your fears? Does trusting God mean you stop looking for solutions, or that you stop trying to help make the situation better?
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