Psalms like this one, in which the psalmists are facing some dire threat, have a wonderful feature in common, and one that we can learn from as we face various challenges. In each case, the psalmists remind themselves of who God is to them. In Psalm 54, in the context of being pursued by Saul, David says: “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.” For all that was bad about his situation, it nevertheless gave him a clear opportunity to experience the reality of what he was declaring about God. God will often allow us to face hardships so that, whatever else might be the case, we get to feel our need of him. We need God all the time, it’s just that we don’t always feel that need. It is often when we are stretched to the limit of our capacities and when we face overwhelming threats that we are reminded that we cannot control our own destiny. However bad your situation might be, it might well also be an important prompter to reconnect with God. This doesn’t make the situation good, but it does mean that good can come from it. Because of our proneness to fall back into independence and autonomy, regular reminders of our dependence on God can be valuable. Your life belongs in God’s hands. Let every circumstance remind you to keep it there.
Ask God to reveal himself to you in the midst of your circumstances.
Read Psalm 54.
