Devotionals

We Are Not Called To Hide

We Are Not Called To Hide

Psalm 55:4-5
ESV
4 My heart is in anguish within me;
    the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling come upon me,
    and horror overwhelms me.
6 And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
    I would fly away and be at rest;
7 yes, I would wander far away;
    I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah
8 I would hurry to find a shelter
    from the raging wind and tempest.”

Here is a Psalm of David during a troubling time David had been betrayed by a trusted friend and felt the oppression of the wicked. David's pained heart, the terrors of death, fearfulness, trembling and horror all felt as they came upon David. Like an overwhelming heavy rain, it was pouring upon David and this great flood of trials caused David to want to be like a dove.

Birds often symbolise freedom. David longed to escape this flood of trials. In my early days of school, I learned how birds fly away whenever they sense danger is soon and if there will be bad weather. They fly to a place where there is better weather and stay there for a season or some time.

Similarly, David had this desire. He wanted to escape the trials. Escape this uncomfortable situation. Escape the troubles. Escape the torture. Escape the battles. Escape the lies. Escape it all and go to the wildness and like a bird, hide, find rest and be protected from it all. Like David, we can say how we would hurry away from a windy storm.

When trials become much we want to escape. We want to find freedom and peace but God hasn't called us to run away. Our promise in Christ isn't to be free from trials and these uncomfortable situations but we are told and promised we will have tribulations, prosecutions, and trials (John 16:33).

But what do we do when these trials come? If you continue to psalm which I suggest, David begins praying against His enemies. We have an enemy and that's the kingdom of darkness. We don't wrestle against flesh and blood but against the demonic spiritual beings rising up against us (Ephesians 6:12).

We don't entertain attacks by ignoring them. We don't cry at trials and complain either. We fight back! We begin to get the word of God, wear the full armour of God (which is spiritual Ephesians 6:10-18) and we begin to seek God and fight back. We rebuke, and call upon God's intervention and we begin praying, fasting, and seeking God constantly.

We should not just desire for those problems to disappear especially when we know it's a spiritual attack and we shouldn't be like birds in this case seeking a quick way of escape. A shortcut away from the pain and an easy way out, no, we as children of God go. We walk on the waters. We go into the fire. We still enter the lion's den. We still face the king like Esther but the greatest example have is of our saviour, Jesus Christ Himself who boldly despite the grief walked to the cross despising the shame (Hebrews 12:2) but filled with love.

We don't hide girls. We do not hide. We fight back, we don't cry, we declare scripture. We don't panic, we fast. We don't ignore, we discern. We have a God who is with us, who are we afraid of that's against us (Romans 8:31).

Psalm 55:22-23
ESV
22 Cast your burden on the Lord,
    and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
    the righteous to be moved.
23 But you, O God, will cast them down
    into the pit of destruction;
destruction;
men of blood and treachery
    shall not live out half their days.
But I will trust in you.

David, who came in pain, fury, and hurt now ends at the end of this psalm by calling us to cast our burdens upon God. The promise of verse 22 that David, moving in the Spirit of God leaves us with is one we cling to when we desire to escape.

David ends in confidence because He knows His God. Do you know your God? Do you know how powerful He is? Do you know that this issue and spiritual attack or that sin has to obey the name of Jesus Christ? Do you know how great He is? Do you think He is now limited?

I like what my church taught me. All because you don't have money for university is not an excuse. It doesn't mean you're not called and you'll have a horrible life, no in Christ all things are possible according to His will and also according to your faith. God's will shall be done no matter what, His will is that you have a mission on this earth and as you walk in that Godly mission, you're successful because true success is walking in what has already been established in heaven when God's will is done in your life on earth as it is in heaven. That is true success that heaven applauds for because it's done for His glory.

And finally, David ends the psalm. He says "But I will trust in You"

Despite the challenge. I'll trust in you.

But I will trust in you despite feeling all these strongholds.

But I will trust in you even when this world seems crazy.

But I will trust in you that I can change.

But I will trust in you that you can heal me by Your power.

I want you to comment with "But I will...." and write what you are choosing to believe God can do despite the odds against you. God didn't take away David's experiences of pain and trials but He did sustain Him and God will sustain you and give you peace ( John 14:27), He will be with you (Deuteronomy 31:8), He left you a Helper who will comfort you (John 14:26), He intercedes for you (Romans 8:26) and He makes all things work for your good and His purpose (Romans 8:28).

-etty