Peace in Every Storm
Psalm 4:1 NLT
1 Answer me when I call to you,
O God, who declares me innocent.
Free me from my troubles.
Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
David wrote Psalm 4 after his son, Absalom, had betrayed him, and it was likely written after he experienced a night or two of harrowing danger.
How amazing is it that David’s first response was to praise God even in the face of persecution and heartbreak? He looked to the Lord confidently, never doubting that God would rescue him. That is an essential key to peace beyond understanding. God is faithful, and we need to learn to have faith without doubt.
What is your first response to fear?
As you study this Psalm, picture David in your mind. Reflect on the hardship he is experiencing. His son has betrayed him, and many friends have turned against him. Think of how you would feel as you sat looking back on a place you dearly love and seeing nothing but betrayal and destruction. Then add the hardest betrayal to swallow: that of your child.
What do you do when you experience these things?
If your first instinct isn’t to cry out to God, how can you change that?
Look up and read Psalm 4.
How often do we turn in fervent prayer to God? For some, it only happens when there is an emergency, and they desperately seek His intervention, right? But David’s first thought was to turn to God in prayer. Throughout his life, he had recognized the Lord’s favor and protection. Obviously, David’s life wasn’t free from trouble. He experienced betrayal and heartbreak just like we do.
What do you do when you experience these things?
If your first instinct isn’t to cry out to God, how can you change that?
Write down a verse to help you remember to seek God first in every situation today. Proverbs 3:5 is a verse I repeat to myself almost daily. What will your go-to verse be? (If you can’t think of one, do an internet search on Peace. Gotquestions.com is a trusted site).
About Tracey
Raised on a cattle ranch in Southeast Arizona, Tracey considers herself ranch-raised and Christ-saved. She has been married for over thirty years, is a mother of three, and a grandmother of four. Her journey in life has led her down many paths. She has been a truck driver, wrangler on a guest ranch, horse trainer, graphic designer, mother to a special needs child, adoptive mom, homeschool mom, caregiver, and business owner.
She is the author of Gathering the Wayward Heart, Lessons on Faith, Trust, and Surrendering Our Best-Laid Plans. Tracey co-founded a thriving business that provides services to special needs children and their families in five locations across Southern Arizona. She gives God the glory for everything in life.