God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Ps. 46:1)
One aspect I love about the Psalms is how the writer seems to capture life. Psalm 46 is the song about someone experiencing the trauma of a world collapsing and being swallowed by roaring seas. It’s a perfect description of my world not so long ago. As I discovered, fear has a way of making dark and stormy nights longer and darker. Fear can make you feel abandoned and alone.
Psalm 46 is good medicine when trouble strikes and we are tempted to believe the lies our fear is shouting at us. We can remember: We are not alone. Not a moment will pass during this trouble when God is not with us. God’s Word assures us that he is with us every step of the way—”an ever-present help” (v. 1). Even when I couldn’t physically feel him, God was there. He will make sure we do not fall. Darkness will give way to the break of day.
The secret for the psalmist can be our secret too. Instead of focusing on the trouble, the psalmist focused on God’s presence. When the oceans rise, “Be still and know . . . the Lord Almighty is with us” (Ps. 46:10–11). We cannot control trouble, but we can turn with confidence to God and take refuge against the storms. God is with you, and he will help you.
Start each day remembering that God is an ever-present help in trouble.
Cheryl McHenry has been a Wesleyan minister’s wife for over twenty years in South Dakota and Wyoming. She currently resides in Indiana and enjoys walking with her husband.
© 2020 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
