In The Thick of Trouble
I find protection in you alone.
Psalm 31:4 NLT
Thorns… I don’t like them.
Recently, I was caught in a fight with multiple vine-like thorn bushes while trying to clear an area of land. The more I wrestled with them, the more they caught my clothes and circled around me… like a live animal attacking. I cried out for help!
Suddenly, I heard… vroom! My husband had turned on the chain saw and came to my rescue, cutting the vines of thorns away, freeing me.
This made me think of this psalm…
Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in you alone. I entrust my spirit into your hand (Psalm 31:4-5 NLT).
The trap may not just be physical… it can be an attack of anxiety too.
Recently while in a doctor’s waiting room, a woman approached me, starting a conversation with me. I sensed fear in her. As she spoke, her words began to cause fear to circle in my mind.
I silently prayed, “Lord, what do I do?”
And He whispered to my heart, Give me glory. She paused. I quickly turned the conversation to giving God the glory and said, “God is good. He got me through it!”
And vroom!... As if I was being cut from the tangle of thorns, she abruptly turned so that she and her fearful words left me. And God’s peace flooded me.
God pulled me from the trap my enemies set for me… Cutting away the vines of thorns, the negative thoughts, freeing me.
Then, God’s Words of truth rang clear in my mind…
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus… Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me… Then the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:6-9 NLT).
The God of peace was with me and gave me the peace of God in that moment.
Father, in the quiet of my heart, You speak to me… whispering, “When you sense fear, fix your thoughts on Me and tell of the wonderful things that I do for you” and in that moment when my heart and mind shift, You flood me with Your peace. Thank You for helping me. I give You all the praise and glory! In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Stacy A. Davis
