Psalm 56:3 Meaning: What it Truly Means to Trust God When You Are Afraid
365 Mental Health Devotional Challenge: Day 60
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Devotional
Psalm 56:3
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”
Mental Health Insight – Anxiety often convinces us that we have a lot more control than we actually do in this life. This is a psychological phenomenon known as the “Illusion of Control”. When anxiety starts to arise we start to overestimate just how much influence we have on that specific situation. In the moments we feel out of control our brain throws into a fight or flight state in an attempt to regain safety. A common tool in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy used for this is called the “Circle of Control”. The purpose of this tool is to help our brain identify what is and is not within our control. By identifying what is actually within our control (our reactions, our boundaries, our present actions) and then actively releasing what is outside of it, we reduce the cognitive load on our nervous system and move from a state of panic to a state of safety.
Faith Connection – In Psalm 55:3 we see the writer stating “when I am afraid”, acknowledging there will be moments in our lives where we feel vulnerable as our life feels outside of our control. When we put our faith in Christ, it does not mean we will never fear, but rather standing firm in our trust in Him DESPITE whatever emotions arise. When our anxiety begins to arise we have the opportunity to take the weight of control off of our own shoulders and onto our amazing Creator, who is in control of all things in our lives.
Reflection Question: If I truly believed God was big enough to handle this “out of control” area, how would my view towards my life be different?
Prayer Lord, I admit that I often try to play the role of Creator by trying to control every outcome of my life. I am tired of the “what-ifs” and the weight of worry. Right now, I lift my hands and release my concerns to You. I acknowledge that while this is out of my hands, it was never out of Yours. Thank You for being a steady foundation when the world feels shaky. I choose to trust Your heart even when I can’t see Your hand at work. Amen.
Book Recommendations
You know the drill! I have attached more resources available below for you to deepen your understanding on today’s topic.
It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way by Lysa TerKeurst
Stop the downward spiral before it takes over. In Get Out of Your Head, Jennie Allen provides a practical and biblical roadmap to escaping the cage of toxic thought patterns. This post breaks down her core strategies for identifying mental triggers, interrupting the “spinning,” and reclaiming your peace by shifting your focus from self-suspicion to spiritual truth.
Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts by Jennie Allen
Life rarely follows the script we wrote for it, and when it falls apart, the disappointment can feel soul-crushing. In It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, Lysa TerKeurst offers a raw and vulnerable look at navigating “between-way” seasons—those painful gaps between our expectations and our reality. This post explores her insights on finding unexpected strength in the middle of heartbreak and learning how to trust God’s goodness when life feels anything but good.
Want To Further Your Mental Health Journey? You can actually start reading the many book recommendations on this blog for FREE in the next 60 seconds. Grab a [Free 30-Day Kindle Unlimited Trial here] or [Get 3 months of Audible for just $0.99/mo] to unlock this title and thousands of other mental health tools, instantly on your phone or tablet. (Note: Kindle Unlimited selection varies over time; check the product page for current eligibility.)
Closing Thoughts
You have completed Day 60 out of 365 Days of our 2026 Mental Health Devotional Challenge. We are killing it! To be honest I don’t know that I have ever written for 60 days straight and I give all the credit to you guys! You help motivate me each and every day. Not to mention your guys comments always make me smile. I pray God continues to help me provide the best educational content for you all! God bless you all!
Have the best and most blessed day!
Sierra Stratman MSW LMSW U/S PhD Student
Disclaimer
I am a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), but I am not your therapist. The information provided in this blog post, including book recommendations and mental health insights, is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute a therapist-client relationship, nor is it intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health condition. Never disregard professional advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read here.
Reminding ourselves we can’t control it all, but we can give it to God. Thank you for mentioning that we will fear but nothing is bigger than our God.
Absolutely! What creation could ever be bigger than our Creator!
Based on verse 4, “what can man do to me?” (Compare Matthew 10:28) I always thought this was about something like radical acceptance. Not only do I not control it, God might not even deliver me from it, but that’s OK too. That’s strong medicine, and hard to hear when in an anxious state already.
AMEN!