Let me ask: When did you last feel that knot in your stomach, racing heart about tomorrow's uncertainties? Maybe it was lying awake at 2 AM, checking your bank account, awaiting test results, or watching the news. Here's the truth we often hide in church: anxiety doesn't respect faith. Worry doesn't ask before coming in. Even the most devoted believers feel fear pressing down on them. That's where today's psalm meets us.

In Psalm 56, verses 3 and 4. David writes: "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?"

Notice something beautiful: David says "when I am afraid," not "if I am afraid." This isn't theory—this is battlefield faith. David, the giant-slayer, king, and man after God's own heart, admits his fear, but watch what he does next.

He doesn't deny or pretend away his fear but consciously chooses to trust in God's word and promises, even when emotions scream otherwise. The Hebrew word indicates an active, deliberate decision, not a feeling. But why trust? Because God has a track record. Imagine the Israelites in the wilderness: two million people wandering a desert, with no grocery stores, water wells, or certainty about tomorrow's meal.

For forty years, God provided manna, water from rocks, and kept their clothes and shoes intact, demonstrating daily faithfulness in uncertain times. The Israelites didn't know where their next meal would come from each morning, but God never missed a day. That's the same God who holds our uncertain tomorrow.

Here's what changes everything: remembering transforms us. When anxiety whispers, "What if God doesn't show up?" we answer with history: "He always has." When worry says, "You can't handle what's coming," we respond with truth: "God's strength is made perfect in my weakness.” David shifts from "When I am afraid" to "I am not afraid" in verse 4, despite the same circumstances and himself remaining the same. What changed? He remembered God's word, promises, and character. Our anxiety isn't a sign of weak faith—it's an opportunity to strengthen it. Each time you trust over worry, you build spiritual muscle. Remembering God's faithfulness trains your heart to hope.

How to choose trust when anxiety strikes: three simple steps to try this week.

1. Pray immediately, not later or when you feel better. Tell God your fears. David and Jesus did in Gethsemane. Honest prayer is faithful.

2. Speak Scripture over your situation. Find a promise addressing your fear and say it aloud: "God will supply all my needs," "He will never leave me," or "His plans are good." Let God's word drown out anxiety’s lies.

Write down one way God has been faithful to you, like providing a job, healing, or peace. Keep this list handy. When fear arrives, remind it of God’s faithfulness.

Father, we come honestly, admit fears and worries about today. Like David, we trust You. Help us remember Your faithfulness when feelings fade. Give us peace and courage, knowing You're with us. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Your fear is real, but God's faithfulness is greater. Trust Him today.

Seeking Faith over Fear,

Gene
Because Life Begins at Calvary