So, what is the cure? How can we stay afloat during the major storms in life, when everything around you seems to make you want to give up and no longer try?
It appears there is a reason to take delight in the situation around you.
Read Psalm 3. Do not just read it, but visualize it. Visualize God standing in front of your situation. He is there, not carrying a shield; he is the shield. He takes on the fiercest storm and the biggest problem in life.
To understand the situation, let's think about why this was written. David wrote this little piece when he was king. However, a dilemma had come up while David was in command; it was his son Absalom. Absalom, having a strong desire to be king, wanted to dethrone his father. So, he attacked David, and naturally, David fled.
Without a doubt, David was in trouble. He needed help. His own son attacked him and claimed to be king, and David was in hiding. Out of desperation, he cried out to the One who knew his situation more than anyone else:
"O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me."
-Psalm 3:1 (NLT)
David is desperate. His enemies are great, and he needs someone who is stronger than his situation. As he cries out to God, he realizes who it is that can save him:
"But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high."
-Psalm 3:3 (NLT)
The Lord, defender of the weak, and he is here to hold your head high. David, attacked by his own son, discovered who could keep his head up even in the worst situations.
It is important to know how David fought through the situation; he reminded himself of where his victory lies. "Victory comes from you, O Lord," David writes in verse 8. David's recognition of who is in control is what gives him a boost.
Whatever situation you are in, remember who is bigger and is more capable of defending you. In Confessions, St. Augustine writes about his current situation and points out that it is "our blessing to know that God is in control." We need to be aware of who is our defender. When David realized that his safety net was the Lord, he responded, "I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side" (v. 6).
Bill Hybels, senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church and author of Just Walk Across the Room and others, reassures, "Does your problem seem bigger than life, bigger than God himself? It isn't. God is infinitely bigger than any problem you had or will have..."
Talk about relieving the pain of feeling like you're on your own! God is so much bigger than anything you have ever faced or will face. Whether your son is attacking you like Absalom attacked his father, or you are just graduating from college and staring reality in the face, God is so much bigger and will defend you. Furthermore, Hybels even reminds you of the sin you are committing when you decide to not trust in him as our "shield": "...and every time you call a problem unsolvable, you mock God."
Next time you think your problem is too big, think about who your shield and defender is. Picture God fighting off everything you are too weak to fight off yourself. God has your back, and he will continue keeping you safe.
What you can do is trust in your defender. You can rely on God through every situation that is too big for you. The more you accept God's sovereign power to save you, the more you will find yourself living in safety.
"I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me."
-Psalm 3:5 (NLT)
Your burden can be His. Give it to him and live in safety.