May 3 - Reading 31: Psalms 93-96

“When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought joy to my soul.”

(Psalm 94:19)

When circumstances begin to fill us with fear, what consolations can calm our anxious minds and bring joy to our souls?The very first absolute bedrock of consoling truth is “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). When anxiety begins to disturb our peace, this verse can immediately quiet our souls.

What else can cast out fear? Perfect love (1 John 4:18). Who has perfect love for us? Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And “neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). Nothing can separate us from His love. Period!

Then let’s remind ourselves that He alone knows the beginning from the end and every moment in between. He declared “I am the Alpha and the Omega…who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8). What a statement of power! Nothing is too difficult for Him (Jeremiah 32:17), and nothing takes Him by surprise. And He is coming again!

In the meantime, He has promised to work all things out for our good because we love Him, and are called for His purposes (Romans 8:28). He called us; He chose us (John 15:16). This truth is such a comfort. Because He chose us, He will preserve us until everything He has planned for us has been fulfilled (Psalm 138:7-8). Period!

As we read our Psalms to Him and intercede today, let’s praise Him for all the truths He has given us in His Word. And when anxiety tries to sneak in to destroy our peace and steal our joy, let’s send it away as we defeat it with our sword of truth, His Word. Rejoicing because He has overcome the world (John 16:33), let’s cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).