When was the last time you told a brother or sister in Christ "I am afraid?". Maybe some of us have tried, and all we got was a "loving" rebuke - "why are you afraid? have you no faith?". Or maybe they said, "you're a Christian, and you're afraid?". Well, sometimes we do need those loving rebukes just to remind us. But there are times those statements don't help. This is one reason why there are Christians who are going through certain situations in life who don't want to admit that they are afraid.
There are times when people, and circumstances, are "bigger" than our faith. And so, when we are afraid, we don't know what to do. David had those moments. Yes, David. The "giant slayer", the king of Israel who slew Philistines, and won battles for Israel. Yes, there were times he was afraid. He actually wrote a psalm about it.
Psalms 56:1-2 NIV For the director of music. To the tune of "A Dove on Distant Oaks." Of David. A miktam. When the Philistines had seized him in Gath. Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me; all day long they press their attack. (2) My slanderers pursue me all day long; many are attacking me in their pride.
We can read that story in 1 Samuel 21. David was fleeing from king Saul, who wanted to kill him. And so, he runs away and goes to Gath. Goliath, the giant whom David slew, was from Gath. Imagine, fleeing people who want to kill you, and going to a place where people did not like you. Talk about being "in between a rock and a hard place".
And then in his psalm he continues.
Psalms 56:3-4 NIV When I am afraid, I will trust in you. (4) In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?
When I am afraid. David was honest enough to say that he was afraid.
But who was he saying it to? He wasn't talking to other men, to an Israelite priest or prophet. He was speaking to God. When I am afraid, I WILL TRUST IN YOU. IN GOD, WHOSE WORD I PRAISE. Then, notice how quickly his words change - IN GOD I TRUST, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID.
The Hebrew word bāṭaḥ means – properly, to trust, rely on with all one's weight. Yes, David was afraid, but at that moment he placed his whole weight, he committed himself, put all his confidence in God WHOSE WORD HE PRAISED. David went back to the Word of God.
The reason that David was able to defeat Goliath, win battles for Israel, was because he trusted in God whose Word assured him who he was with, and what God had planned for him. And now that he was afraid, he once again put that same trust in his God. And when God and His Word once again assure us of who He is, and that we are His, this is when fear is gone.
When we are afraid, run to God and His Word first. So that His Word will give us the same assurance that God gave David and drive away any fear that is in our hearts.
When we are afraid, after running to God, run also to other brothers and sisters in Christ whom you know will bring you to God and His Word, so that God may use them to bring assurance to your heart and drive away the fear.
If you are someone to whom someone runs to when they are afraid, don't quickly rebuke them for their "lack of faith". Build their faith up by bringing them to God, whose Word you praise, and let God's Word assure them.
Yes, we can come to God and say "Lord, I am afraid". If He is the God we trust in, and His Word is truly our life, He will quickly turn the tides of our heart, turn our focus from the situation that made us afraid to the God who is greater than that situation. His Word, His promise, is what will do that.
May David's song be our song - "When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid."
