Our hearts yearn for a life without trouble, but God does not guarantee that. What He does promise is that He will be our refuge and strength while we experience trouble. When we learn to count on Him, we will not be gripped by terror even in times of disaster.
Services we depend on—cell phones, electricity, water, fire and police protection—may all fail. One resource remains untouched by catastrophe: God. Nothing can cut us off from Him.
The psalm writer describes the worst: natural disasters on land and sea, international crises of war, and political upheavals. Sometimes it sounds alarmingly like today. But even when our tragedies reach beyond human intervention, our Savior is there. It’s not that He comes running when you call on Him—He is already there even as the disaster strikes! And He’s been there all along, not just as an onlooker or even as a compassionate rescue worker. He is your personal, secure refuge and strength. The God who stood by Jacob (deceitful and wayward as he often was) will stand by you, too.