Ministry has a way of throwing curveballs at us. We may even question our calling. But we aren’t alone. The Bible is full of men and women who experienced the same doubts and fears that we have.  

Psalm 118 shows us one man’s attitude toward the difficulties of life and calling. How could King David so boldly declare that “the Lord is my strength?”  

David was only a teenager when he was chosen to be king. Imagine his shock – one minute he’s out with the sheep, and the next, he’s anointed Israel’s future ruler. He then had to wait another 15 years while running for his life. Through it all, he shows us that the most crucial step to standing firm in one’s calling is to determine to trust God always. An excellent example of this is his refusal to kill King Saul when he had the chance. Instead, he chose to do things God’s way, no matter what.  

David was far from perfect, but he is described as “a man after God’s own heart.” What does this mean? It refers to his choice to trust and follow God, regardless of the situation. And as a result, he could confidently say, “The Lord is my strength.” 

Everything we receive from God is by faith. This starts at salvation, but the same principle applies to our experiencing God’s strength, peace, wisdom, contentment, and so on. Faith begins with a decision to trust, even if our emotions are leading us in the opposite direction. 

We see this pattern in Psalm 118. David boldly wrote, “the Lord is with me,” a few verses before declaring, “the Lord is my strength.” In the same way, we can fully draw on God’s strength only if we choose to believe that he is with us, whatever the situation.  

Ministry is tough and often leads to doubts, but if we determine in our hearts to trust God, regardless of our circumstances, we will be able to declare with confidence, “the Lord is my strength,” and we will stand firm and content in our calling.