When I Am Afraid
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”
— Psalm 56:3 (NIV)
David wrote this psalm while enemies hunted him. He did not pretend he felt brave. He said: when I am afraid, I put my trust in You. Trust is turning toward God while fear still sits in your chest. Honest fear and honest trust can share the same hour.
Wednesday in a hospital waiting room, or standing in your kitchen at midnight with the fridge light on. Your stomach turns over a test result, a conversation, a bill. Say out loud: I am afraid, and I turn to You. God meets you in that sentence before fear leaves.
Name and Turn
- 1Complete on paper: 'I am afraid of ___.' Under it write: 'I trust You with this.'
- 2Text or tell one trusted person what you wrote. Ask them to pray for you today.
God, the fridge light is on and my stomach will not settle. I am afraid, and I put my trust in You with this shaking night.
What are you afraid of right now that you need to trust God with?
Is trust the absence of fear?
No. The psalm says when I am afraid, then I trust.
How do I trust when I am shaking?
Name the fear honestly and turn your will toward God in one small step.
Can this be repeated?
Yes. Trust is often a daily turn, not a one-time fix.