Daily Devotional | Fear and Faith

Feeling a bit discouraged today? Being a Christ-follower does not mean you will never have difficult days. “Usually cheerful as we may be, we must at intervals be cast down,” declared 19th-century preacher Charles Spurgeon, “The strong are not always vigorous, the wise not always ready, the brave not always courageous, and the joyous not always happy.”

David also had moments of profound discouragement. Today’s reading begins by noting how David sought refuge with the Philistine ruler Achish in Gath out of fear (v. 1). The last time David went to Achish, Philistine suspicion forced him to feign madness to escape. This time David’s status as Saul’s enemy earned him a welcome that enabled him to operate clandestinely behind enemy lines. He raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites, people occupying land that God had promised to Judah. David targeted them because they were the people who had lived in Canaan “from ancient times” (v. 8). The Lord had commanded Israel to make war against them at the time of the Exodus (Ex. 17:15–16; Deut. 25:17–19).

Was David’s decision to deceive Achish a strategic move or a desperate one? The biblical text does not criticize David for taking such actions. David managed to walk the razor’s edge by defending Achish while defeating Israel’s enemies at the same time. But this subterfuge also placed David in an extremely vulnerable position (1 Sam. 28:1–2). Faith is not the absence of fear but the conviction that God is greater than our fears. The greatest danger of fear is that it can also displace faith, causing us to lose sight of God.

>> Are you struggling with fear or discouragement today? Let those emotions point you to God. Pray this prayer of David’s from Psalm 56:3–4: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God, I trust and am not afraid.”

Pray with Us

Coming to the end of this month’s study, reflect on what we’ve learned. During your prayer time, ask: Am I listening to God’s call? Do I recognize His voice? Am I ready to follow?

BY Dr. John Koessler

John Koessler is Professor Emeritus of Applied Theology and Church Ministries at Moody Bible Institute. John authors the “Practical Theology” column for Today in the Word of which he is also a contributing writer and theological editor. An award-winning author, John’s newest title is When God is Silent: Let the Bible Teach You to Pray (Kirkdale). Prior to joining the Moody faculty, he served as a pastor of Valley Chapel in Green Valley, Illinois, for nine years. He and his wife, Jane, now enjoy living in a lakeside town in Michigan.