Briefing: Do you struggle with your faith?

Dispatch (Assignment): Read Psalm 10.

On the Street: One of the reasons so many people love reading Psalms is because we can relate to the life of David. He was a man who had moments of greatness and moments of epic failure. He was a great king and man. God said that David was a man after His own heart. David was also an adulterer and murderer. David wanted to build God’s temple but was forbidden to because God said he had shed too much blood.

We may not experience the extremes in our life like that of David but we can relate to the day to day struggles. Psalms reads like the journal of a person who encounters hardships and attacks on a regular basis.

Although David was a man of great faith and understanding of God, he still struggled with trusting God’s sovereign plan. This skepticism of God’s constant protection and control is revealed in the Psalms David wrote. In Mark 9:24 we see a similar example of this doubt. I believe we can all relate to this fathers statement to Jesus. Mark 9:24, “Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

This is common among believers. We can believe in our brains, having knowledge of a truth yet not fully believe in our hearts. Think of it like a person who has never parachuted out of a plane. They may know that a parachute works but when you strap one on them and ask them to jump, then they are not so confident in the ability of the parachute to function correctly.

David starts Psalm 10 by questioning God’s presence during times of trouble. By the end of this Psalm, David will come around to confessing God never leaves us. Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”

In verses 2-11, we can see David struggles with a lot of the same issues we face and much more. David faced real persecution and attacks. He asks questions of God that we all have had. Why do some people get away with crimes and acts of evil? Law Enforcement Officers see more of this than the normal person. We have firsthand knowledge of criminals who slip through the system unpunished. We go to court on cases where we have no doubts of the guilt of the person on trial only to watch them walk away after a jury finds them “not guilty”. Our initial reaction may be similar to David’s statement in verse 1.

When I find myself in this mental state I will talk it out to see if my thoughts are true or are they just my preliminary understandings. After internalizing and working my way to the truth I usually come to the same conclusions David did in verses 14-18. How easily do we take our eyes off of God and lose focus on who He is? God is never taken by surprise. Just because I may not understand why something happened does not mean it is not part of God’s plan. The Bible says God’s ways are much higher than our ways. God’s intelligence and understanding are so far beyond ours. We must trust God is working all things for our good, as His word tells us.

Investigational Resources: Isaiah 55:8-9, Romans 8:28.

Officer Safety Principle: Even though we struggle, we can safely trust God will have our back.

from Psalms Through the Eyes of a Cop, Volume 1
©by Charles Gilliland. Used by permission.
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