Feeling Afraid? Try Making A Sandwich

When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not be afraid. Psalm 56:3-4

These verses caught me the other day. I thought how funny that David says in verse 3 "When I am afraid" then just a sentence later he says "I will not be afraid." That is a pretty big shift in my mind and it happens in only 15 words. So what takes place between the fear and no fear? I don't know about you but I see a sandwich. Two slices of trust toast and some praise pastrami stacked up in the center. Let's break it down:

1. When I am afraid - Inevitable, right? Fear seems to be a part of life on the planet. David wrote often of his fear. Case in point Psalm 55

2. I will trust in you - This sounds like a conscious decision to me. Like David is saying when fear comes, I have a choice and I choose to trust.

3. In God, whose word I praise - God's word is just the place to take our fear. And in his word we find hope, freedom, peace, and joy. We read that God is faithful. He is strong. He is loving. He never changes. We find all kinds of reasons to praise him and when we praise him, we take our eyes off of our circumstances and look up. Our perspective changes. Light shines in darkness. He is the glory and the lifter of our heads!

4. In God I trust - The decision to trust happens before the praise. After the praise, David affirms in whom his trust lies...in THE GOD of the word. THE GOD he just praised. THE GOD who delivers and heals and restores! Our God is trust-worthy!

5. I will not be afraid - We chose to trust, we go to the word, we lift our praise, we affirm the God who is worthy and that is when things change. The fear doesn't change, we change. We are not swept away or captured or paralyzed any longer.

We don't have to give in to fear. We can make a sandwich! Whip up a little Praise on Trust!