“Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” — Psalm 57:1
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When unexpected and unwanted circumstances threaten to destroy our hope, we have a tendency to get anxious and do things out of desperate haste, in search of a way out. That’s when we are most likely to commit a turnover, make a needless mistake or develop bad habits.
Look at the familiar words of Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” He’s walking, not running! Also notice his focus — it’s in God’s presence and power, not the hot sun or barren land.
One of my favorite verses I go to when dealing with overwhelming adversity is Psalm 57:1: “Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.”
So settle down and trust God in the valley. God is with you and provides protection and direction. The Lord is using the hot days on the valley floor to break you and shape you into a man/woman of high character and deep faith. Growing into the person God desires you to be is not easy and is not pain-free.
Winston Churchill once said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going!” You can’t learn to persevere without persevering!
— Jerry Birch, Cleveland Cavaliers chaplain
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