In Hard Times, Where Is Your Trust?
- Ojone Pitas
- Jul 15
- 4 min read
Introduction: When the World Falls Apart, Where is Your Trust?
There are moments in life when everything we’ve built seems to crumble — relationships betray us, health fails, finances disappear, or grief takes centre stage. It’s in these raw, painful seasons that a crucial question must be asked: Where is your trust?
King David faced one of these defining moments when his son, Absalom, conspired to take his throne (2 Samuel 15–18). As David fled Jerusalem, his heart wasn’t just heavy with fear — it was crushed by betrayal. Yet in the storm, he wrote Psalm 3, a psalm of confidence, trust, and divine reassurance.
David’s Crisis and His Confession of Trust
“Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, ‘God will not deliver him.’ But You, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.” — Psalm 3:1–3 (NIV)
Imagine David’s anguish: his people turned against him, his son betrayed him, and his life was in danger. His son wanted to take the throne from his father and went a bit further by desiring to kill him. He also slept with his father's wives and concubines in the open. The voices around him were loud: “God won’t save you.” But David silenced those voices with one truth: “But You, O Lord, are a shield around me.” Even in one of the most difficult seasons of his life, his confidence and trust were in God's ability to deliver him.
In hard times, David’s trust didn’t waver because it wasn’t in circumstances, people, or emotions — it was in God alone.
Trusting God in Hard Times: What It Looks Like
When you’re in the middle of a storm, you may ask:
Can I still trust God with this pain?
Why would God allow this?
Where is He when I feel abandoned?
Why is this happening now?
What have I done wrong?
Here’s what Psalm 3 teaches us about trusting God in hard times:
1. Acknowledge the Battle (Psalm 3:1–2)
David didn’t pretend he wasn’t in trouble. He cried out honestly about his fear, his enemies, and his doubts. Faith is not denial. Trust begins with honesty before God. Many times, we try to mask our pain and heartache, and we try to sound spiritual, but in times like these, honesty is the best policy.
“Many are saying of me, ‘God will not deliver him.’” — Psalm 3:2
Even when others doubted God’s presence in his life, David brought those fears directly to the Lord.
2. Declare Who God Is (Psalm 3:3)
In the middle of the crisis, David reminded himself of God’s character:
Shield around me – protection
My glory – my identity is in Him
Lifter of my head – restorer of hope
This is how trust is built — not by focusing on the storm, but on the Saviour. Many times, we drown in the storm. We focus more on the situation and not the one who can turn it around. Turn your focus to God just as David did.
3. Choose Rest Over Anxiety (Psalm 3:5)
“I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.” — Psalm 3:5
When we trust God fully, we can rest even when life is chaotic. Sleep becomes an act of faith — a declaration that God is working even while we are resting. Find rest even in the midst of the storm. The Bible says, "Be anxious for nothing." Lack of rest and sleep is proof that you are anxious and not trusting God.
4. Speak Victory Over Your Life (Psalm 3:7–8)
“Arise, Lord! Deliver me, my God!” — Psalm 3:7
Even before the battle was over, David declared God’s victory. He knew deliverance comes from the Lord. Not from kings, wealth, or armies — but from God alone.
Scriptures to Meditate on in Hard Times
Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you… I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Proverbs 3:5–6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart… and He will make your paths straight.”
Romans 8:28 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him…”
Prayer Points: When Trust Feels Difficult
Prayer for Renewed Trust: Lord, I confess that my trust has wavered in hard times. Help me to lean not on my understanding but fully on You. Strengthen my faith today.
Prayer for Protection: Lord, be my shield. Cover me from the attacks of the enemy and the wounds of betrayal. Lift my head and give me peace.
Prayer for Rest: Father, I surrender every burden. Grant me divine rest. Let me sleep in peace, knowing You sustain me.
Final Encouragement
Hard times are inevitable, but they are never the end of the story for a believer. David’s life reminds us that we can cry, flee, and even feel betrayed — but as long as we trust in God, we are never alone, never defeated, never forgotten.
Let your cry turn into a confession of faith. Say like David: “But You, O Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.”
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