When I am afraid

1O God, have mercy on me,

for people are hounding me.

My foes attack me all day long.

2I am constantly hounded by those who slander me,

and many are boldly attacking me.

3But when I am afraid,

I will put my trust in you.

4I praise God for what he has promised.

I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?

What can mere mortals do to me?

Psalm 56

I've only lived 6 decades, but I've never seen a time when fear is so dominant in our lives.  This week I've watched as radical Muslims have killed hundreds in Iraq.  I've watched as fear begins to rise in the cultures of the world....fear of man, fear of economic crisis, fear of disease.  Fear is in the very air we breathe.

No one is immune to the temptation to fear.  We are surrounded by the opportunities to fear.  Companies downsizing, layoffs all around, economies is crisis, ebola spreading.....shall I go on?  Fears are abundant!

David lived in days when his very life was often on the line.  He found himself, more than once, running for his life.  Fear was part of his reality too, but he made choices to deal with the fears. This Psalm is one of them.

In verse 3 he writes, "but when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you."  He never said he didn't fear or that fear wasn't real for him.  He gave us his choice when fears arive.  When I am afraid I will put my trust in you.  What profound and rich statement of faith.  When all I see around me is an opportunity to fear I will choose to trust the God who loves me.  

So what is your choice when fear comes, because it will.  

What do you do?  

Do you fret, get anxious, drink too much, pace the floor, take a sedative, panic!  What do you do?  It's a choice you know.

Fear will come, what will you do when it arrives?

David said, "When I am afraid I will put my trust in YOU!"  

What will you choose?