Session 17

You don’t have to fight your battles alone

From Psalms: A 28-Day Devotional

You don’t have to go to war to feel like you’re stuck in a never-ending battle. Maybe you’re fighting for hours at work while the bills keep piling up. Maybe you’re fighting for a marriage that feels like it's falling apart. Or maybe you’re fighting a disease that seems impossible to overcome.

Often life’s battles seem insurmountable, and we don't feel like we have the strength to make it through. David, the writer of Psalm 18, knows that feeling well.

Before David wrote Psalm 18, he was fighting for his life. King Saul had set out to kill him, and he appeared to have everything on his side — weapons, warriors, and wealth were at his fingertips. But David had God on his side, and he knew God’s power was more than enough.

In Psalm 18:2-3, David writes, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.”

The same God who fought for David is fighting for us today.

God did all of the work necessary to defeat Saul. David’s responsibility was to listen to God, obey His commands, and trust God to take care of the rest (Psalm 18:20-30).

The same God who fought for David is fighting for us today. When we call upon the Lord in our distress, He hears us and moves on our behalf (Psalm 18:6). In our eagerness to get past the pain, we can be quick to act and slow to listen. But experiencing God’s strength happens as we learn to be more like David — quick to listen and slow to take matters into our own hands.

Reflect:

• What battles are you fighting on your own that you need to hand over to God?
• Is there any area of your life where you’re asking for God's strength but still fighting for yourself?
• What do you need to start doing or stop doing this week to trust God with the battles you’re facing?