(A strong foundation against attacks)
My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises! (Psalm 57:7 NLT)
By Fr. Chris Lee OFR
It doesn’t take very long after one becomes a Christian to discover conflict. The Bible teaches that as believers we will face conflict again and again. Jesus taught the same when he said, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NLT) The truth is that no one is exempt from conflict. We have a real enemy that comes to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10)
The enemy doesn’t attack us when we are ready or expecting it. He waits until we are vulnerable, and unassuming. These sudden attacks often leave our heads spinning, feeling like things are out of control. We find ourselves weary, full of anxiety, and facing severe temptations. During these attacks we can feel utterly alone. All of these are efforts to shake and break our confidence. The enemy knows that if our confidence is broken, we will be filled with grief, despair and perhaps fall into major sin.
Psalm 57 is traditionally understood as a sincere prayer that David prayed when in conflict with Saul. David found himself on the run and being chased by his enemy. Hopelessness and darkness were trying to grip his heart. Fear, anxiety, and futility were trying to consume him. David’s enemy was hot on his heels. Perhaps it was the memory of previous victories against Goliath and the Philistines, or the lion he killed with his bare hands; one thing is certain David’s confidence was not in himself, it was in God! David was so confident in God, that he was able to sing praises during his struggles.
Like David, most of us have experienced God’s rescue in our lives. Whether healing from illness, getting the right job, or a simple answered prayer. We have all been in situations that required Divine assistance. When rescued, we feel that amazing relief and gratitude knowing that only God could have pulled it off. We are humbled to think that God would personally get involved in our situation. Our hearts are filled with gratitude, and our spirit often bursts into songs of praise and thanksgiving. We find that our faith is strengthened as well as our confidence in God. Now, if we can just remember this, the next time we are attacked!
Digging Deeper:
- Can you remember a time when an attack had you on the run?
- In what ways did God come to the rescue?
- How has that event impacted your confidence in God?