Friday, January 28, 2022

Fortified by Faith (Psalm 11)

"In the LORD I put my trust. How can you say to my soul: “Flee as a bird to your mountain”?" (Psalm 11:1)

In Psalm 10, David was tempted with despair when he observed the overwhelming ungodliness around him. In Psalm 11, he again is tempted to doubt God but this time due to the taunts of his countrymen. In the midst of an especially trying time in David’s life, probably in flight from Saul’s cruelty, he is tempted to seek refuge in something other than God. But just as in Psalm 10, David turns to God. Standing firm against the temptation to trust in man’s ways, David puts his faith wholly in God.

The Scriptures are filled with men who doubted God and took matters into their own hands. Before we are quick to judge, think of how many times you have doubted God and sought refuge in someone or something other than the King of heaven. How many times have you been overwhelmed by distressing circumstances instead of waiting patiently on the Lord? Each of us probably has done this more times than we care to admit. It is important to be grounded in the promises of God, to be in constant communion with Him, and to meditate on His nature and His providence.

David begins Psalm 11 by saying, “In the LORD I put my trust.” We must immediately look in faith to God when going through times of extreme difficulty. One of Satan’s strategies is to tempt believers to doubt God in times of unusual hardship. Because of this, we must be on our guard especially during tough circumstances. We must look to God as David did, acknowledging that God controls all things. Believers must also remember that everything that happens to us is for our good. One blessing that often results from enduring difficulties and overcoming the temptations that accompany them is a strengthened faith. God gives His people the grace to persevere, to stand strong in faith, and to find comfort in God’s providence no matter how frustrating the situation.

“Let faith serve as a lamp to enable us to behold God’s heavenly throne, and let that sight suffice to make us wait in patience for the restoration of things to a better state,” Calvin said. Fortify your faith by meditating on God’s Word, communing with Him in prayer, and looking to Christ who reigns from heaven and strengthens us by His grace.

Are you enduring a trial that causes you to doubt God? Have you faced such temptation in the past? Read 1 Corinthians 15:58 and 16:13. What truths from these passages, and today’s lesson, strengthen your faith? Ask God to help you apply these truths to your life as you endure difficulties that test your faith.