Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.  Selah.  Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the LORD. – Psalm 4:4-5

Ever lie in bed – your head swimming with the thoughts that are filling your life?  Frustrations over situations that you have little to no control over?  Anger problems and issues that seem to return, to grow and never go away?  Pain from wounds that seem as though they might never heal?  There are some days where you see the world that lies in front of you and you simply don’t know what you need to do.  There are others where you know exactly what you need to do but finding the strength to overcome those feelings to get to what needs to be done seems more difficult than the problem itself.  And of course, there are days when Satan may choose to bless you with more issues, causing the waters you’re swimming to grow even deeper.

It seems that David clearly knew this feeling when he wrote Psalm 4.  His was a life filled with any number of problems that made him feel frustrated, beaten down, and scared: the way we sometimes feel when we lie in bed, alone with only our thoughts.  Of course, David realized what we often times forget:  we can’t ever be completely alone with our thoughts. God’s promises clearly refute this.  “Lo and I am with you always.”  “Never will I leave you nor will I forsake you.”  These aren’t just happy reminders for us when we’re five years old and fearing the monsters under the bed.  These promises are for all of us; young and old who carry burdens, who feel weighed down, struggling to break free from the bonds of frustration, anger, and pain that Satan uses to consume us.

It is David’s reminder for us to remain calm within our anger.  It mustn’t lead us into a rage but into a focus that allows us to more clearly see the hand of God – to hear His voice and to follow His calling.  Our heads may be swimming, but God has given us the lifeguards we need.  Through Christ we are saved, redeemed in the precious blood He shed for us and restored by His resurrection.  And by the work of the Holy Spirit we know God, build our relationship with Him, and find the strength we need to not only keep afloat but to successfully navigate ourselves from the perils of a life filled with discouragement until we reach that place where God sets us back on solid ground.

“Put your trust in the Lord.”