This past few weeks have been tough. Between health concerns, family challenges, stretching my faith, and just the daily grind, it’s been hard to keep going. I’ve felt spiritually drained, emotionally overwhelmed, and physically tired. In those moments, the recurring thought God seems to place in my heart is, “Bless more people.” That’s not meant to sound overly pious—it’s just a personal reminder that when I feel stuck, God is calling me to pour into others, encourage them, and point them toward Him.

Psalm 56 became the foundation fora recent devotional because it speaks directly to those moments of fear and exhaustion, and it’s what I needed to hear myself.

Why Psalm 56?

In the devotional, I shared the backstory of Psalm 56. David wrote it during one of the darkest seasons of his life. He was being hunted, trapped in enemy territory, and facing relentless pressure. Yet, his response wasn’t despair—it was trust.

As I read this Psalm, I couldn’t help but reflect on the spiritual attacks and overwhelming situations I’ve faced recently. Life has felt relentless, with moments of grief, exhaustion, and even frustration with God’s timing. This Psalm resonated deeply with me as a reminder that God is not only aware of our pain—He’s present in it.

Key Themes from My Devotional

1. God, Be Gracious to Me
The Psalm opens with David crying out, “Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples me.” That raw honesty stood out to me. There’s no pretence here. David brings his struggles directly to God. For me, this verse reminds us that we don’t have to pretend everything’s fine when we approach God—we can pour out our fears and frustrations fully.

2. Trusting God When Afraid
David says, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.” That hit me hard because fear is real—fear of the unknown, fear of the next problem, fear of things getting worse. I talked about how often we run to the wrong things for comfort when fear strikes, but David’s response challenges us to trust God’s Word and His promises, even when life feels chaotic.

3. The Pain of Twisted Words
“All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil.” I shared how this verse reminds me of times when people have misunderstood or twisted my words. It’s exhausting and disheartening. Yet, David trusted God to handle justice instead of taking it into his own hands, which is a lesson we all need.

4. God Sees Every Tear
“You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle.” This verse comforts me deeply. God doesn’t just know about our struggles—He keeps track of every tear, every restless moment. Yet, there’s also a difficult truth here: if God knows, why does He allow it? That’s something I wrestled with on stream, but ultimately, it reminds me that His purposes are always bigger than our present pain.

5. Choosing Gratitude in Trials
David says, “I must perform my vows to You, O God; I will render thank offerings to You.” Even before the storm has passed, David commits to worship and gratitude. On stream, I shared how difficult this can be—especially when you’re exhausted and everything feels like too much—but it’s a choice to trust that God is good, even in the middle of the mess.

The Takeaway

Psalm 56 reminds us that while life may feel overwhelming, God is still present. He sees our struggles, hears our cries, and is for us. In my own life, this passage challenged me to keep trusting, keep worshipping, and keep choosing gratitude—even when things aren’t resolved yet.

If this devotional resonates with you, I’d love for you to join me live on Twitch. Together, we dive into Scripture, talk about life’s struggles, and create a community of real, honest faith. Let’s face the challenges of life knowing that God is with us every step of the way.