God’s Word is a stabilizer in our lives.
Within its pages we find comfort, strength, and guidance for every situation in life. But if we choose to live without the Bible, we won’t have the assurance of God’s promises to help us through hard times. These are some of the most difficult days we have ever faced in our country. We’ve lost our oneness, stability, strength, and care for one another. Now our nation is suffering from uncertainty, uneasiness, conflict, and distrust. If ever we needed to rely on the Scripture, it’s today. Such times should lead us to cry out to God, asking Him for the wisdom, courage, and obedience to do what’s right.
David was familiar with difficult situations, and through them all, he learned to trust the Lord.
When he faced Goliath, his confidence was not in himself but in the faithfulness of his God. And when King Saul became jealous of David and tried on several occasions to kill him, David fled for his life, hiding out in the wilderness. Psalm 11 gives us a glimpse into David’s heart at a time when his world was falling apart. His main question is found in verse 3.
“If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
When everything is crumbling beneath us, we must remember that God’s Word is our true foundation. No matter what we face, Scripture assures us that we are children of God, and He promises to see us through it. This doesn’t mean we won’t experience suffering or disappointment, but the Lord walks with us every step of the way. His Word is our compass and guidebook for every hardship, heartache, and problem. As long as we follow His instructions, we will be able to face every situation.
David likened the foundation of a nation to that of a building. If a house is to last, it must be built on a strong foundation. Otherwise, it will begin to crumble, and the house will fall. In the same way, a nation whose foundation is weak cannot endure. A strong national foundation consists of law and order, justice, truth, morality, decency, integrity, fairness, and trustworthiness. When these are abandoned, the foundation begins to crumble, and the nation is in danger of collapsing.
How should we respond if the foundations are destroyed?
- Turn to God.Like David, we can choose to say, “In the Lord I take refuge” (v. 1). This means we place our confidence in God and become attentive to His voice. He has given us unshakeable, absolute truth in His Word. When we place our trust in what He’s said, we will receive stability and direction for our lives.
- Don’t run.David said, “How can you say to my soul, ‘Flee as a bird to your mountain’” (v. 1). Instead of trying to run away from our difficulties, we should run to God. He’s all-powerful and knows all our struggles and needs. There is no stronger or safer refuge than almighty God. He loves us and intends for us to stand strong, firm, and true in the midst of hardship, suffering, and loss, knowing that He is trustworthy. The foundations of our physical world may crumble, and we could lose every possession we own, but even then the Lord is sufficient to carry us through.
How does God respond when we turn to Him?
- The Lord places us under His divine protection.When we are in a right relationship with Him and walking in obedience and submission, He determines the limits of our trials and suffering. This doesn’t mean He’ll remove all pain and trouble from our lives, but He guards us through it. And even if we lose our lives, He promises that we will immediately be in His presence (2 Cor. 5:8).
- God is available.“The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven” (Ps. 11:4). Nothing is beyond His control, and He is ready to hear our concerns and requests when we come to Him in prayer. Whatever our needs may be, He has provided assurances and promises in His Word.
- God sees.“His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked” (vv. 4-5). From His divine perspective, He sees and knows everything, and He uses our trials to test us. We have no reason to fear evil because we are secure in our relationship with the Lord. He hates violence, and promises that one day He will punish the wicked (vv. 5-6).
What attitude should God’s people have?
- We must trust the Lord.No matter what our circumstances may be, we can believe God. It may seem as if He’s inactive, but He’s not. When situations get worse, He is not sitting in heaven wringing His hands. The Lord rejoices in the opportunity to intervene and show Himself strong for His children. Therefore, instead of running away, we should learn to wait upon the Lord and seek His direction.
- We must ask God for cleansing.When the foundations around us crumble, it’s time to look within ourselves, asking the Lord to reveal any sin in our lives. Then we must confess it and repent by making a determined choice to turn away from that sin and to the Lord. If we don’t deal with our sins, they will hinder our prayers. Only after our lives have been cleansed will He be able to use us in whatever ways He chooses.
- We must be willing to encourage others.People who don’t know Christ become frightened when the foundations around them crumble and circumstances become difficult. They look for ways to protect themselves, but we can encourage them to look to the Lord, who is the only true source of security. He will show Himself strong to those who are willing to trust Him. As believers, we have a responsibility to share the teachings of God’s Word.
- We must pray for revival.The difficult times we face are larger than our own issues; our entire country is in trouble. The solution is not found in voting new candidates into office, but in pleading with God to send a revival. According to history, revivals always begin with just a few people who humbly seek the Lord. If we’ll sincerely turn away from sin and to God, a handful of individuals could become a crowd joining together to cry out to the Lord for our country.
Response
- When the foundations begin to crumble, whether personally or nationally, do you turn to God and His Word? What effect would it have on your emotions, thoughts, and reactions if this became your first choice?
- As our society abandons its former foundation, will you commit to interceding for our nation and asking God to revive His church?
Charles Stanley is pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta, Ga, a former Southern Baptist Convention president and founder and president of In Touch Ministries.
