Trusting God as the ultimate source of boldness (2024)

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation.
Should I fear anyone?
The LORD is a fortress protecting my life.
Should I be frightened of anything?
2 When evildoers come at me trying to eat me up—
it’s they, my foes and my enemies,
who stumble and fall!
3 If an army camps against me,
my heart won’t be afraid.
If war comes up against me,
I will continue to trust in this:
4 I have asked one thing from the LORD—
it’s all I seek:
to live in the LORD’s house all the days of my life,
seeing the LORD’s beauty
and constantly adoring his temple.
5 Because he will shelter me in his own dwelling
during troubling times;
he will hide me in a secret place in his own tent;
he will set me up high, safe on a rock.

11 LORD, teach me your way;
because of my opponents, lead me on a good path.
12 Don’t give me over to the desires of my enemies,
because false witnesses and violent accusers
have taken their stand against me.
13 But I have sure faith
that I will experience the LORD’s goodness
in the land of the living!
14 Hope in the LORD!
Be strong! Let your heart take courage!
Hope in the LORD!

This powerful Hebrew poem called every child of God (young or old) to live without fear, which is hard in tough times. Living without fear did not mean God would solve all immediate problems. Instead, the psalmist trusted God in any situation. “Living in hope relates to living with a focus on ‘one thing’—not living in hope that we will be able to achieve and get everything but living in hope of gaining the ‘one thing.’” *

• The Hebrew language linked “hope” and “wait.” The Common English Bible used “hope” in verse 14; other good versions used “wait.” Israelites prayed Psalm 27 yet saw Babylon ruin Jerusalem, saw Greece and Rome conquer their land—but kept on waiting and hoping. Christians prayed Psalm 27 yet saw Jesus crucified, the apostles Paul and Peter killed, and met in dim Roman catacombs—but kept on waiting and hoping. What most tests your trust and tugs you toward fear? How can you choose to wait and hope that in the end, God will set you “up high, safe on a rock”?

• Verse 4 said, “I have asked one thing from the LORD… to live in the LORD’s house all the days of my life, seeing the LORD’s beauty.” The monk Brother Lawrence said with childlike humility he found hope in “seeking [God] only, and nothing else, not even His gifts.” ** What is helping you learn to value and praise God without making it conditional on God delivering exactly what you want?

In his sermon this weekend, Pastor Scott invited us to think about the milestone moment when we were given the freedom to walk to school or a friend’s house or do some other activity without an adult. My kids flew home to Kansas from their grandparents’ home in Southern California yesterday. When I spoke with my oldest child (who is 12 years old) on Saturday to ask how he felt about the flight and traveling alone with his brother (who is almost 9), I could feel the eye roll through the phone as he said, “Mom, it’ll be fine.” I was the one who worried. I’m not normally one who worries about my kids. They are usually kind and thoughtful, have great friends, and love school and their hobbies. Like all siblings they fight, but generally they are responsible. But as an adult, I know what terrible things could happen when they are traveling across the country alone. I also know that the statistical likelihood of it actually happening is very, very, very low. So I had to wait and trust as they flew home.

One of the things about waiting is that we have a choice in how we will respond to it. We can either lean into the uncertainty and discomfort or we can double down on hiding and being afraid. Will we practice trusting, knowing that each time we do we strengthen that faith muscle? When we, as the Psalmist invites us to do, hope in the Lord we actually learn how to do it again and again. We don’t say “yes” to faith one time and then it’s all done. Every single day that we wake up we have the opportunity to say, “Here I am Lord. Send me.” Whether difficult things come our way or life feels exciting, God is with us. Will we say yes to taking risks?

If taking risks feels scary or your life is really difficult right now, not only are you never alone because God will never leave you, but you also have a church family who is here for you, too. Sometimes when I’m afraid I call a friend and tell her about it. I say, “I’m feeling anxious. I don’t want to be alone with this feeling.” Sometimes what helps us to be courageous is having friends and family remind us that no matter what comes our way, we are not alone. May you remember that God and our church family are with you as you stay curious, find freedom, take risks, and say “yes” to where God is leading.