Many of us, when we face tough times in our lives, times when we truly don’t know what to do, we’re reminded of these words – trust in Him. When we talk to other Christians about our problems, we may hear them tell us to do just that – “just give it to God, trust in Him”. So often though when we face a tough situation, where the outcome is completely uncertain, that’s the hardest thing to do. We want to be the ones to go find a solution and fix the problem.

Before jumping into this blog, I would recommend you go ahead and read the entirety of Psalm 27. I will be highlighting specific verses from the text throughout this read, but it would be good to read the psalm in order to get the whole context. We see David in a tough spot in his life. He was facing a life-threatening situation, but the amazing thing to look at is his response to where he finds himself. He tells us that he is confident in God.

David had a clear understanding of who God was, which is what allowed him to say verses like Psalm 27:1 – “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” David, who had a great many things he could have been afraid of, looked it in the face and said I will not fear because my God is bigger. In fact, later on in verse 3 he uses the phrase, “I will be confident.”

I want that kind of faith. The faith that looks adversity and fear in the face and says “I will not be afraid, I am confident that I will be okay through this,” and I imagine you desire the same thing. How then can we gain this confidence? We get it by keeping our eyes fixated on the God of our valleys. There’s a song we sing at Take Heart Church called “Fight my Battles” and one of the most powerful lines in that song is “It may look like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by you.” That exact thinking is what gives us confidence during the hardest times in our lives.

Take, for example, the story of Peter walking on water. He saw the Lord walking on the water, coming towards them, even with monstrous waves crashing around Him. Peter looked at Him and said, “let me come to you on the water.” Jesus said, “come.” It was at that point that Peter stepped out the boat and walked on water, it was a miracle! As he kept his eyes on Christ, he was fine. He was doing something that no else besides Christ had ever done. It wasn’t until he looked at the storm that he began to sink, and ultimately had to cry out “Lord, save me!”

Peter was safe as he looked at Jesus who was greater than anything that was going on around him. When he placed his faith in the God who had all things under His submission, there was no worry, no doubt, and no fear. I want to encourage you with that very same thought today. It very well may look like the situation you are currently in is bigger than you ever thought you’d face. It may even look like it is impossible to overcome. Unfortunately for us, in our own power, some things we face are impossible, but fortunately for Christians we serve a God that is greater than anything that stands before us.

Here are some verses that follow that line of thinking to encourage you today:

Isaiah 35:4 – “Say to those who have an anxious heart, Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”

Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Psalm 34:4 – “I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”

Romans 8:31 – “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

There are so many more verses throughout the Bible that remind us that we can place our whole faith and trust in Him. There will never be a challenge He can’t get us through. There will never a financial pitfall, a medical emergency, or a heartbreak that he won’t be able to give us the victory over. Remember this truth though, we cannot truly have confident through trials unless we place that confidence in Him. We have limited power, while His is unlimited. That goes for his knowledge and wisdom as well. He is so much more capable to handle our troubles than we are. It makes sense then why he challenges us in I Peter 5:7 with “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

Give Him your troubles. Give Him your problems. Talk to Him about your worries. Be confident today that He will take care of you, and you will see blessings and the peace of God greater than you ever have before.

– Scott Mason