Young People's Group

EXERCISING TRUST IN GOD IN TIMES OF DISTRESS

by Pastor Mitch
August 12, 2007

In Times Of Great Distress

Being a Christian does not mean our trust in God will never falter. There will be times when troubles will come and they can be most distressing. They could distract us from focusing on God and cause us to focus on self instead. We could be struggling with all kinds of negative feelings. King David wrote of how he had a most agonizing time once.

“For I am in trouble;
My eye wastes away with grief,
Yes, my soul and my body!” 
Psalm 31:9

His enemies were constantly out to get him. They were slandering him. Things were so distressing that he was crying a lot. His very soul and health were affected. His strength was failing and he felt as if he was going out of his mind. He was constantly plagued by fear. What do we do when we go through times like these?

1. Plead The Mercy Of The Lord

“Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble”
Psalm 31:9

The best solution to the problem of distressing feelings is to pray. Especially in the midst of overwhelming difficulties, we should get down on our knees and plead with God for His mercies. We must recognize how weak we are. We must recognize how our lives are so frail. The challenge is for us to still pray and plead with God to be merciful.

2. Renewing Of Trust In The Lord

“But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord;
I say, ‘You are my God.'” 
Psalm 31:14

The Psalmist determined that he would renew his trust in the Lord. He declared how the Lord was his personal God. He was the Lord God Almighty. He was his Rock and Fortress. Young people, let’s learn to renew our trust in God when we go through times of difficulties. Let’s determine to place our trust in Him

3. Entrusting Our Lives In The Lord’s Hand

“My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me”
Psalm 31:15

Ultimately, our lives are in God’s hand. The Lord knows every detail about our lives. He knows when we will be born. He also knows when our time on this earth is up. The future is so unknown and yet, it is the Lord who knows. Our times are in His hand. What better way to live each day than to entrust our lives into His hand. It is the Lord who will deliver us in times of distress. Let’s learn to have absolute trust in the Lord’s deliverance.

Back to Article Listing