The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
Reflection
In my own life recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about faith. Particularly the role of faith in moments that feel out of control.
When I am tempted to doom scroll…
When my fear spirals out of control…
When nothing seems to be going right…
When my desire to respond causes me to rush to an assumption, a comment, an action that may (or may not) actually be helpful….
When I snap at my neighbor because I don’t know where else to funnel my rising levels of frustration or helplessness…
Faith doesn’t mean that everything will go our way.
It is the belief that even when things don’t go our way, God will be faithful to us.
It is hope that life can spring forth from the places of darkness, despair, and death.
Faith takes practice.
In the moments when I struggle with my faith, I intentionally have to slow myself down, take a few deep breaths, and recently – I’ve taken to slowly reading this passage of scripture: Psalm 27.
It is a reminder that God’s presence is steadier than my fear.
God’s light is not dimmed by the darkness I perceive.
God’s shelter is not shaken by the storms that swirl around us.
Psalm 27 reminds me that courage is not the absence of anxiety, but the quiet decision to trust anyway. That waiting is not passive, but an active leaning of the heart toward the One who has been faithful before — and will be faithful again.
Faith takes practice.
It takes stopping in a busy, anxious world.
It takes returning and remembering.
So, when your mind races…
When your heart feels tight…
When the headlines feel louder than hope…
When your patience runs thin and your spirit feels worn…
Slow down.
Take a breath.
Try read Psalm 27 slowly. All of it.
Don’t rush through it. Let its words interrupt your spiraling thoughts. Let its promises steady your pulse. Let its confidence in God’s faithfulness become your own.
Read it as a prayer.
Read it as a protest against despair.
Read it as a reminder that the Lord is your light and your salvation — and you do not have to be afraid.
When you need to remember that God has been faithful before and will be faithful again, return to Psalm 27.
Slowly.
Prayerfully.
Trusting that even here — especially here — God is near.
by Kate Monahan
For Pondering and Prayer
Faithful God,
When our minds race and our fears feel louder than our faith, slow us down.
When we are tempted to react instead of respond, steady our hearts.
When the world feels out of control, remind us that You are not.
Be our light in the darkness.
Be our courage when we feel small.
Be our shelter when anxiety rises within us.
Teach us to wait for You with trust.
Teach us to breathe deeply of Your peace.
Teach us to remember that You have been faithful before — and You will be faithful again.
In every moment of fear, anchor us in Your presence.
In every uncertainty, hold us fast.
Amen.
