Psalm 46:1–3 (NIV84)
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
There are times in the life of the believer when it feels like the ground is crumbling beneath your feet. You had solid plans. You had a clear vision of who you were going to be and how your life would look. But often those plans don’t feel so solid and that vision is not so clear. Things happen in life which you do not anticipate. The struggles in a sinful world and with a sinful heart leave you feeling vulnerable and exposed.
There are times in the life of the believer when it feels like waves are crashing down upon your head. You can barely keep your head above water. If one more conflict arises, if one more bill comes due, if one more demand is placed upon your time, you are sure to sink. With each wave of worry, your strength fades and you are unsure how much longer you can endure.
There are times in the life of a believer when it feels as though the earth is giving way as waters roar and foam. But even in those times, we need not fear or doubt our God. We need not fear or doubt because God is an ever-present help in trouble. That means God is not just a God who is present on happy trails and for smooth sailing, but he is with us on rocky roads and amidst surging seas. We need not doubt, for our God is the defender of the vulnerable and the protector of the exposed. He lifts up the weak, carries the weary, forgives the sinful, and bolsters the burdened.
There are times in the believer’s life when the path is uncertain, and the future is unsure. If today is one of those times, take refuge in your God and his promises shared in Psalm 46. Your God promises to be your refuge and strength, your ever-present help in trouble.
PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, You are my refuge and strength, my ever-present help in trouble. Forgive me for the times I allow my uncertain and unsure life to fill me with anxiety and worry. Defend me when I am vulnerable, protect me when I am exposed, lift me up when I am weak, carry me when I am weary, bolster me when I am burdened. Help me to trust in you as my ever-present God. Amen