But I Will Trust in God
Psalm 55:1-23
In preparation for this week’s message, Pastor Daniel reflected on our church's initiative to promote Godliness Training. Two years ago, we focused on daily devotionals to strengthen our practice of reading scripture and knowing God. Last year, our goal shifted to understanding God's intent in scripture and applying His word to our lives. After reflecting on the past year's devotionals and hearing about the struggles some of our members face, Pastor Daniel shared feeling powerless to change their circumstances. This led him to ask, how can we stay devoted to God in the midst of our trials?
God provides an answer through Psalm 55:1-23, written by David during a time of chaos as his son Absalom rebelled against him. David felt overwhelmed (v. 5), abandoned by God (v. 1), and wanted to escape (v. 6-7). David felt like he was being bombed by his enemies (v. 3) and worse yet, the attacks came not just from strangers but also from those close to him (v. 12-13). These attacks were not only against David’s character but also against his relationship with God.
How would you feel if you were David? Just like him, we face trouble that can lead to grumbling, anger, and frustration. Should we run away, as David wished to?
David shows us the way forward. He called out to God (v. 1), cast his burdens on God (v. 17, 22), and prayed. The key is understanding the perspective with which David prayed. In verse 23, David says, "But I will trust in you." This shows that, despite his circumstances, David's trust was in God, not in the situation. He trusted that God listens, redeems, brings justice, and helps him endure (v. 17, 18, 22, 23). The word "but" in verse 23 signifies David’s commitment to trust God even when things aren’t resolved.
David's trust in God fueled his devotion and prayer. Through this trust, we too can pray and arm ourselves with spiritual strength to overcome challenges.
To stay devoted to God amid tough circumstances, we must:
Pray
Trust in God
Pastor Daniel challenges us to dedicate time daily to God, with the same heart of devotion David showed in verses 1 and 23. We are encouraged to seek God’s presence in a quiet place, cast our burdens on Him, and focus on trusting Him rather than our circumstances.
Reflection Questions
1. What does trusting in God look like for you in the midst of trials?
2. How can you create a daily habit of prayer to focus on trusting God?
