Blindsided by Those Closest to Us.

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Psalm 55

 

Psalm 55:22

Cast your burden on the Lord,
And He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

(NKJV)

 

In this text, David has been blindsided by an attack from those closest to him. This attack has left him with fear and trembling and a desire to run and hide. However, he contemplates his situation and resolves to bring his burden to the Lord, trusting Him to bring a resolution. When blindsided by the enemy through those closest to us, we as believers in Christ must bring the situation to the Lord and trust Him to resolve it.

 

This Psalm is another contemplation by David, this time concerning the treachery of friends. It begins with David asking the Lord to listen to his prayer and not to hide from his supplication because he is restless and moaning noisily (Psalm 55:1-2). David’s anxiety is due to the voice of his evil enemies, bringing oppression, trouble, and wrath upon him because they hate him (Psalm 55:3). David’s heart is troubled over this, causing him to have fear and trembling, even fearing death (Psalm 55:4-5). David is even contemplating running away to escape his troubles (Psalm 55:6-8).

 

David then asks the Lord to destroy and divide the tongues of his enemies because he has seen iniquity, trouble, and destruction in the midst of the city (Psalm 55:9-11). David then reveals that this enemy differs from those he has previously faced, for this enemy is someone close to him, even someone who accompanies him to the temple (Psalm 55:12-14). Because of the wickedness of these friends now become enemies, David asks the Lord to seize them with death and send them alive into hell (Psalm 55:15).

 

David then resolves to call upon God, knowing the Lord will save him (Psalm 55:16). David’s cries to the Lord will go out in the morning, noon, and evening knowing the Lord will hear him (Psalm 55:17). David knows God has redeemed his soul from the many who battle against him, and that God will hear him now because God does not change (Psalm 55:18-19). These enemies that used to be friends have broken their covenant with David using smooth words that are like drawn swords with war in their hearts (Psalm 55:20-21).

 

David concludes this contemplation by deciding to cast his burden on the Lord, knowing the Lord will sustain him and never permit the righteous to be moved (Psalm 55:22). David knows that God will bring these enemies down to the pit of destruction, knowing they will not live out half their days. David concludes by saying he will trust in the Lord (Psalm 55:23).

 

David is prepared for attacks from outside the country but appears to have been blindsided by attacks from those close to him, including those that accompany him to the temple (Psalm 55:12-14). This blindsided attack has left David in fear and trembling, causing him to contemplate flying away like a dove or hastening an escape (Psalm 55:5-8). However, as David continues his contemplation, he determines that running from the problem is not an option. Instead, David decides to call upon God, knowing the Lord will save him, even from this enemy (Psalm 55:16-19). David resolves to cast this burden on the Lord, knowing the Lord will sustain him and not allow the righteous to be moved, even from a blindsided attack (Psalm 55:22).

 

The Church is more than just a building but consists of people professing a belief in Jesus Christ. As such, it is a place we typically go to for peace and escape from the chaos in the world. However, the Church is run by flawed people and can become a place of oppression. When this occurs, we have the option of running like David contemplated doing, or we can cast that burden upon the Lord, knowing He will sustain us. In Matthew 18:15-17, Jesus outlines a three-step method for handling conflict in the church.

 

1. Confront the one sinning against you and try to resolve it between yourselves (Matthew 18:15).
2. If this does not work, involve one or two more people within the Church to have them act as mediators in the conflict (Matthew 18:16).
3. If this does not work, involve the Church, and if this fails, treat the offender as a heathen (Matthew 18:17).

In none of these steps does Jesus tell us to run and hide, but unfortunately, that is what many do instead of resolving the conflict in a Godly manner. This leaves the problem unresolved, and one must consider that they may be the offender. By running, they are taking the unresolved problem with them, bringing it to another church from which to run and hide. If one runs and is not the offender, they are leaving the unresolved problem for someone else to resolve, instead of being the catalyst for the resolution of the issue.

 

If you are reading this and have been the victim of a church conflict, I urge you to follow these three steps of resolution. If, in attempting to resolve the situation, you discover you are in the wrong, be quick to seek forgiveness from the one you offended and from the Lord. If the one in the wrong is the other person and they are unwilling to change, forgive them, and pray for them. Also, do as David did, casting your burden on the Lord (Psalm 55:22).

 

If you are reading this and have never prayed to accept God’s gift of salvation and the complete forgiveness of sin, I encourage you to do so now.

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23). I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9). I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

If you meant what you just prayed, know God has forgiven all your sins and that you now have a relationship with God and are a child of God (Romans 8:16). Like any relationship, it grows as we get to know each other. While God already knows all about us, we must study the Bible, the word of God, to learn more about Him. If you just prayed, I encourage you to find a Church that teaches the truth of the Bible so you can learn more about the Lord. May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post.