Anxious: Fighting Anxiety with the Word of GodSýnishorn

Day Four: Chased and Heckled

The heading for Psalm 3 in the CSB translation says, “Confidence in Troubled Times.” When do you feel confident? Do you usually feel confident in “troubled times”? My answer is certainly NO. When we lost our first baby in an ectopic pregnancy, I barely left my bed for months. When we adopted our middle daughter, who appeared to have significant physical and cognitive developmental delays, I barely left my bed for days.

I’ve often buried myself under blankets in troubled times.

Before we get any further, I want to say that making space to grieve is important. And we can turn toward God, even in our grief. He wants to sit with us in it, to carry us in it. All clear? Great. Back to Psalm 3.

The Bible tells us this was “A psalm of David when he fled from his son Absalom.” The events that led to the writing of this psalm are found in 2 Samuel 15–18 when David was betrayed by Absalom and others in his life. Absalom was leading a rebellion against his dad, the king. People who were at one time his friends turned against him. It was an undoubtedly troubled time in the life of David. It was, what some theologians might call, a “where’s my blanket” moment.

Now, flip to Psalm 3 and read the whole chapter.

God is our protector (shield). Nothing can get to us without first getting through God. God is our source of significance (glory). We can fight anxiety knowing the things we worry about could never truly jeopardize the value we have because we are approved by God through Jesus. God is the lifter of our heads. God is the One who leads us to look up from our sorrows and worries and reminds us we can have joy and hope through our friendship with Him.

Close your time today thanking God for saving you and blessing you. Thank Him for rising up, in Jesus, to strike the enemies of sin and death and failure and fear. You belong to Him, and He has overcome. Ask Him to help you see Him as your shield, glory, and hope. Ask Him to help you sleep and not be afraid.