Xanthe Hancox

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I shall never be shaken.  Psalm 62:1-2

David was experiencing a season of desperation when he composed Psalm 62. He had many desperate experiences during his lifetime. But right from the beginning, David had made the Lord his trust (Psalm 40:4). And what did God do for David? He forced David to wait for him alone.

He allowed many situations that forced David to make the Lord his one trust, his one rock, his one source of salvation. But while he was in these situations, David certainly didn’t feel like his faith was growing stronger. He was feeling weak and vulnerable and fragile. He felt like an old stone wall, bowing out and ready to crumble. He felt like a rickety old fence that could easily topple over (v3-4).

This is how we often feel when we are learning to make God our only trust. Tests of our faith often feel in the moment like threats to our faith. We too feel weak, vulnerable, and fragile, like we’re going to topple over and crumble.

So, what do we do?

These seasons of desperation teach us what trust really means, and they train us to trust in God. They force David’s words to be more than just words to us: "Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him; for God is our refuge." (verse 8)

Desperation is not only one of the most effective instructors in trusting God; it is also one of the most effective instructors in the school of prayer. Few things move you to pour out your heart to God in earnest prayer than when everything seems on the line, and you wonder if you’re going to make it.

As hard as these experiences may be, nothing in the world that compares with the comfort our soul experiences when we really know that our greatest hope comes from God and that he only is our mighty rock and our refuge, and that he can be trusted at all times.

Prayer: Lord God, faith can seem vague and theoretical until a crisis strikes. Help me to turn to you in times of desperation and every day. Teach me to trust you fully. Amen.