Stress Test Devotional April 28
April 28, 2024
PSALM 3:7-8 | Rise up, O Lord! Deliver me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. Deliverance belongs to the Lord; may your blessing be on your people!
Then, after there is internal progress, David prays for external progress: deliverance for his friends and defeat for his foes. These last verses fascinate me, because it has been my experience that emotional challenges undermine our sense of broader purpose. When we are under siege, we become self-involved and selfcentered. Inner emotions are so strong they overshadow external responsibilities for others.
Here David recovers his Kingly mantle and begins to ask for a blessing on God’s people. He has a role to play, but the nation and its people belong to God. He begins to focus on his limited but crucial role as a shepherd for God’s flock. The greater purpose of God’s answers to our personal struggles is the service we can then render.
Pray for someone today for whom you bear responsibility.
