My dear friend, be of good cheer for there is help for all to be found in God’s Word. And you are certainly not alone. The truth is that we live in a fallen world, a world ruined by sin. Hence we will all have trials in this scene as we read in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” The good news is that Christ has overcome the world. This means that God alone can help us in those times that try the soul. But having said this, I do not want to minimize at all the tough situations that you may be experiencing. The trials and tribulations of this scene can be vexing in the extreme, and they are very real.

I am comforted by the fact that even King David of old experienced great trials, and some of these trials were apparently seen by David as being of an overwhelming nature. But he was able to overcome these by faith in the surpassing power and love of God. When, by inspiration, David penned out the words of Psalms 61, I believe that he was likely considering one such time when he faced perhaps a life-threatening situation, with dangers swelling up like a great flood around him. In Psalms 61:1-2 you can hear his plaintiff cry to God: “Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” You’ll note that David calls unto God from his extremity, from the ends of the earth so to speak. His prayer was for God to lead him to a rock high above the floods of his earthly troubles. But what you do not see anywhere in this psalm is David calling upon God to remove the trial. David, I believe had learned to have faith through his former experiences walking with God, that the Lord alone would surely lead him and place him in a place of safety and security. The rock that was higher (greater) than himself was what he needed, and this rock was in fact God Himself (2 Samuel 22:32; 1 Corinthians 10:4).

My dear friend, we must learn to put our whole trust in God, as David of old did, because God alone can help us to overcome the trials and tribulations of this life. What’s more, God cares for us, is sympathetic to our every concern, and He wants us to call upon Him in times of need. Hebrews 4:15-16 tells us: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” We must cast all our cares upon the Lord because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7), and by faith we must learn to leave those cares with Him. We may not always be delivered from our trials, but He alone can help us and give us His peace (John 14:27). My suggestion is to pray when you are anxious as we see in Philippians 4:6-7.  He (Christ) has overcome the world, and thus in the end we can have the peace we seek (John 16:33). But we need to have faith. 1 John 5:4 says, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith.”

My dear friend, I’ll be praying for you for peace! May the Lord bless you as you read His Word, the Bible, and do pray about your concerns. God alone through His Holy Spirit can make you to overcome, come what may (Romans 8:37)!  (SF)  (740.1)