The Psalmist says “When” Not “Never am I afraid” but “When.” Literally it means “In the day I am AFRAID.” Fear was something he was familiar with, and he was not alone, the great lover of Christ himself the apostle Paul also knew what it was to be afraid -{Acts 18:9; 27:24} Adam and Eve first knew the pangs of fear as a result of their own disobedience according to Genesis 3. Fear is something we all can identify from Adam as a result of sin, to Paul a result of obedience to the cause of Christ and there are many more reasons in between. Jonathan had warned David “do not be afraid…” Being “afraid” is not unique to you or me, Scripture shows some giants of the faith who experienced it for one reason or another.

A young mom – to be, waited and waited as she lay in a hospital bed waiting to give birth to twins, her only concern and plea and prayer was  that she would not have to have a c-section. But a c-section she must as her temperature grew dangerously high and the Dr said it was a necessity. She would go on to lose large amounts of blood in a botched aftercare treatment but while she was being wheeled down to theater and her arms were spread outwards and to her side as though in the position of the cross of Christ she remembered these words of old “When I am AFRAID  I Will trust in You.”

Fearful times come to us all in different scenario’s and in various lengths of time, some as a result of our sin, others a result of our stand for Christ others a result of simply being human and afraid of the unknown or future and all very real emotions that we feel. It is then as the Psalmist we must live in light of eternity and reality. It is not enough to berate someone of their feelings indeed to do so for this dear mother to be would have been grossly insensitive and ignorant and revealing a lack of compassion for her. Like her, it was there in that time of trauma for her and fear that arose that the Holy Spirit recalled words she had once heard and memorized and deposited into her own spirit and from that “Bank” the Spirit of the Living God recalled to her the solution by first acknowledging her condition- She was Afraid. And then showing her the SOLUTION– for her to choose to trust in God.

Your CONDITION may be one of being Afraid this day. Your SOLUTION IS FOUND IN God Himself. Your choice is to focus on the fears or allow the fear to be a springboard to deposit yourself into the genuine care of God. “When I am afraid”- The Psalmist did not negate there would be times when he would be “afraid” or pretend he was above it as he had so graduated spiritually as to be untouched by it. But he had a PLAN, and that PANICof fear would assault his mind and tear at his emotions, he would choose to entrust himself and his situations to a PERSON- namely God Himself. You too will have days when you are “afraid,” afraid of a move, afraid of a new environment, afraid of failing at school, afraid of being socially rejected, afraid of the consequences of sin, afraid of an operation; afraid for your stand for Christ. True, the reasons are unlimited the Solution is always unchanging- a choice to be made “I will trust in You.” May your times of fear be but a springboard into faith in God. That will mean choosing to look outside of yourself to Another- God. A choosing to turn away from self reliance, self occupation to the Savior as your Resource.

Make PLANS today how you will react when times come to cause you to be afraid. Learn from the PSALMIST- Be a REALIST- The times of fear will come, the times to PREPARE is now- Hide Gods Word in your heart beginning with this verse, memorize it, mediate upon it word for word and who this God has been revealed as in Scripture, Creator God, Caring Father, Consoling One and ever PRESENT.

PLAN ahead by memorizing, mediating and then the hardest of all can be when those times come when you are afraid, like the Israelites of old who were surrounded and being bitten by poisonous snakes they had to make a choice to Exercise FAITH IN GOD by choosing to turn their eyes in the midst of fearful circumstances to Him who is Faithful! Choosing to take God at His Word and turn and look away to the Bronze Serpent set upon a standard by Moses. That is faith under pressure in action! As they looked by faith in His Word to the bronze serpent they would be kept by Him who told them to do so. It would mean making a choice to turn away from the danger on front of them and the emotions which would scream “unreasonable” to their minds and chose to take God at His Word.

God is always after faith, not faith in faith but faith in Himself- the author and giver of faith. Resting in Him as a child rests in the tender arms of a caring mom. Faith is taking God at His Word and acting upon it. Paul once said “I know WHOM I have Believed in..” His faith was in a Person, Jesus Christ the Lord and he lived his life by faith in the Son of God who loved him and gave Himself for him.- Galatians 2:20

It was in a time of fear that David exercised Faith in his God. Is now a good time for you to do likewise? For in trusting Him you are throwing yourself upon Him because you are getting to know more about His character and His care and comfort for you. No, your circumstances may not change but YOU may change and how will you know? One way is when times of fear come to you, do you immediately turn to Him and trust Him in those fearful times as David. You can and I know you will by His grace for His pleasure. How wonderful a reminder those times of being afraid can be, that there is One whom we can place our confidence and circumstances safely into His caring and tender care. How wonderful it is to be able to be afforded such wonderful access to say “I WILL TRUST in YOU.” Not a bad One to be able to trust in is He?

So, beloved, Prepare, Plan and Purposely choose when you are afraid to trust in  the Person of God. Here’s your verse to help you prepare for times when you will feel and be “afraid.”and Know the comfort of Him who is worthy of your trust – “When I am afraid I WILL trust in You.” Thank God through the cross of Calvary and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ there is opportunity for His people to Trust in Him. How wonderful the verse does not begin and end with “When I am afraid…” and offer no solutions but leaving us to our own futile ways of dealing with such times of fear and pain and anxiety, such as the bottom of an empty bottle…”BUT GOD…” has left us with Himself and wants those times of being afraid to LEAD us to HIMSELF as the verse shows us and He affords us the opportunity to draw near to Him when HE CONCLUDES the verse with “… I will TRUST IN YOU.” Our PART  is laid out for us here  and it comes down to…

1.- A CHOICE- “I WILL.”

2.- WHOM will  I Trust in?  The Psalmist  made the conscious decision  to  do what God would have you and me consciously and consecutively do each time we are “afraid”- By Choice “I WILL trust in You.”  It is not a matter of how I “feel.” but of Focus. Will I focus on my feelings and be left living a life of a roller coaster life style of ups and downs and feeling out of control one moment followed by the sensation perhaps of exhilaration the next? Or one where I Purposely choose to Focus and REST in God through Christ Jesus. It is a matter of the will. Whom will I choose to trust in. The Psalmist wants us to know of his choice and God wants us to know this is His choice for us when we are “Afraid.” To Trust in Him. I am reminded of the words of a song which say “Lay down your burdens I will carry you, I will carry you, My child , My child…” Trust is such a huge issue isn’t is.{CHANGE TO “IT”} How often we have trusted in someone and being misunderstood , betrayed or forgotten perhaps and felt abandoned and hurt.

Perhaps through no fault of your own or others you were not able to fulfil commitments made and promises “BUT GOD…” can fulfil His as He has the power and ability to do so, He asks of us to “Trust” Him…and that is a lifelong process of weaning us of ourselves onto Himself..and often it is through one trial and testing at a time isn’t it.

M-A-P. Your Map for today is

Here’s your verse for today to

M- Memorize, Mediate upon word for word and

A. – Appropriate and…

P. – Pray – for yourself and others who are “afraid”

Again note David’s Words…

“WHEN” you are “AFRAID.” Thank God He has not left us alone in such times. Our times of  being “afraid” are but reminders of what we are to and can do-make a choice to turn and consider and Commune with and REST in  HIM. – “I WILL trust in YOU.”

For that dear mom to be her greatest fear came through- when the Dr. said she needed a c-section… but in it God was faithful to remind her of His Promise, comfort her with His Presence for he knew her condition and showed her His Solution namely, “When I am afraid, I will trust in You.” Her time of Fear was Gods time to draw her close to Himself.