Free from Fear
When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. — Psalms 56:3
For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control. — 2 Timothy 1:7
Author
Nancy G. Marquez
Summary: Even while imprisoned and distressed in Gath, David did not allow his circumstances to produce a song of complaint, but rather a declaration of trust. Feeling afraid is not wrong: every day, fears may surround us and touch our hearts. The key is to keep our trust in God firm, especially when we fear being left alone, sense betrayal, or do not understand what is happening to us. On such days, our faith must not waver, for we know in whom we have believed. We must send faith out ahead to guard the heart: just like doubt, fear is overcome by faith. When fear comes knocking, let faith answer.
King David wrote Psalm 56 when the Philistines seized him in Gath. You do not have to be an expert in the Psalms to understand that David was in trouble, desperate and lamenting because he had been imprisoned; he was like a dove in a very distant place, unable to speak because its mouth had been shut. That was David’s situation; but in the midst of it, he knew how to trust in God.
What arose from within his being was a song—not of complaint, but of trust. Verse 3 says: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.” This teaches us that there is nothing wrong with feeling afraid. Fears surround us and knock at the door of our hearts every day. The key to everything is that we maintain our trust in God.
We must always trust in God, but as David said: even on the day when we fear being left alone, on the day when we sense betrayal nearby, on the day when we do not know why these things are happening to us, it is on that day that our trust in God must not wane, but remain firm, knowing in Whom we have believed. That is what this is about, my beloved: sending faith ahead to guard our hearts from fear. Doubt is overcome with faith; fear is also overcome with faith.
When fear knocks at your door, send faith to answer it for you, and you will find that no one was there!