Hi, friends. Today we are talking about fear. Let’s look at Psalm 34: 4-8.
"I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation, I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him."
David wrote this psalm when he was on the run from King Saul. He searched for refuge in the city of Gath but didn’t find it. He even had to pretend he was insane to escape. He probably penned this from a cave, surrounded by his men. Despite his dire circumstances, the psalm is full of praise and goodness.
When we are hiding, seeking refuge, running from something or from everything, we should stop and pray. David says he prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered him. It’s such a simple and profound statement, even these thousands of years later. David prayed and God heard him. Isn’t that amazing?
Our prayers need not be fancy or perfect. They just need to be sincere. There have been many times in my life, especially during The Years of Struggle, where it felt like I had run out of time and answers and places to go. I searched for help from everything and in everything BUT God. All I had to do, all any of us need to do, is stop and pray. He hears us. Wow.
Not only does the Lord answer our prayers but He also liberates us from the chains of fear. In this journey of recovery, fear can be a formidable adversary, whispering lies of doubt and discouragement. I’m sure you know the ones.
You can’t do this.
You’ll never have fun again.
You can’t live without it.
You’ve disappointed everyone.
That list could go on and on. And I’ll add that none of those are true at all though fear has a nasty way of convincing us otherwise.
But David tells us that when we turn to the Lord in prayer, He responds. He lifts the weight of fear, replacing it with radiant joy.
And not only will our faces be shining with happiness, but no shadow of shame will darken it. No shame. How wonderful is that?
There are few things heavier than the blanket of shame. It smothers, and it kills. Shame is one of the main reasons we do not ask for help, why we suffer in silence, why we give up. Shame is a powerful and dark emotion. But not when we turn to our sweet Father!
Those who look to the Lord for help will find their face transformed. God is greater than any of our mistakes, our setbacks, our diseases. God is bigger than The Thing you fight. In our desperation, in the darkest moments, we are urged to pray. The Lord, our ever-present help, listens and saves us.
But there's more. Verse 7 unveils a profound truth – the angel of the Lord, who is Jesus Christ, is a guard, a defender who surrounds us. We may face internal and external battles, and we will, but we are not alone. Jesus stands as a sentinel, shielding and protecting us from unseen dangers, from the ones who want to destroy us. What a comforting assurance that, even in our weakest moments, divine protection is at work.
When we journey through recovery, the road can feel daunting, fraught with fears and uncertainties. Yet, in the midst of our struggles, there's a promise in Psalm 34 that echoes through time, reaching out to us even in our most desperate moments. The Lord hears us. He saves us. He defends us.
In the depth of sorrow, in those moments where words fail and only the groans of our hearts can be heard, it's there that the Lord leans in, attentive and caring. Our prayers, whispered in desperation, find their way to the heart of our loving Father.
When you’re struggling or feeling like you can’t run anymore, stop. Stop and pray. Just say, “Father, help me.” It need not be more than that. It can even be less. Just “Father!” is enough. Cry out from your heart. He’ll be there to answer.
May the peace of the Lord be with you on your path to recovery and the recovering of your life. He’s just a prayer, a word, away. .
