FAITH CAPSULE: Lord helps in time of troubling challenge.

Psalm 3

When trouble increase it becomes a challenging trouble. A challenging trouble graduates to a permanent trouble. It is tolerating trouble that terminates troubled ones. In time of challenging trouble man’s faith is questioned. David, a man after God’s own heart had increasing trouble when he stated in Psalm 3:1-2, “Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me, “There is no help for him in God.””
David testified how he dealt with his own increasing trouble.
First, David acknowledged God for His awesomeness by stating, “But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.” (Psalm 3:3) David did not allow his challenge to cloud is worship. David worshiped instead of worrying when he acknowledged God for what He has done and what He was doing in his life. Acknowledging God in a time of troubling challenge is a way of thanking God and it provokes God’s hand of intervention.
Secondly David testified, “I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill.” (Psalm 3:4) Crying is not a sign of weakness. David did not let pride but he cried out loud. It was a cry with his voice not in his heart; it was a cry that went out loud to God’s (His) holy hill.The word of God requested open mouth wide and God will fill with one’s request. (Psalm 81:10) David testified that the Lord heard him from His holy hill.
Thirdly David mentioned, “I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.”(Psalm 3:5) After having demonstrated worship in the place of worrying, David slept over his trouble just like Jesus. Once, during Jesus’ cross-over journey with His disciples, a troubling storm became a troubling challenge. (Mark 4:35-41) In the midst of storm, “Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.” (Mark 4:38) When the disciples were no longer able to hold to faith, they woke Jesus up and Jesus rebuked the storm. With trust in God, David lay and slept despite troubling challenges. David rested his case in the hand of God.
Fourth, David disallowed fear to have a place in his troubling challenge. He stated, “I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.”(Psalm 3:6) It is true that when fear rises faith will sink and when faith rises fear must sink. Faith and fear does not tolerate each other and that is why a believer must eliminate fear. David made a conscious stand against fear when he declared, “I will not be afraid.” In the face of your troubling challenge, take a conscious stand of faith and not be afraid.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to hold on faith in the place of fear.