7 Keys for Trouble

Have you ever wondered what to do in trouble? What can we do when we run into problems and trials?

Psalms 54 has 7 keys for what to do in trouble!

Verses 1, 2 say, "Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth."

This is the First Key of what do in trouble - #1 - Cry to God and not to your fellow men. Usually when we're in trouble, the first people we turn to is our family or friends. Yes, God can use them to help us, but we should be turning to God first and foremost. Steps to Christ, page 119 says, "All have trials--griefs hard to bear, temptations hard to resist. Do not tell your troubles to your fellow mortals but carry everything to God in prayer." Here David is not turning to anyone except to God - His only true Helper. What a lesson for us! Let's turn to God when we're in trouble.

The second key for what to do in trouble is from verse 3, which says, "For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them." So Key #2 is Present the problem to God. We must turn to God and present to Him exactly what our troubles are. And He will hear us! Counsels for the Church, page 294 says, "There are few who rightly appreciate or improve the precious privilege of prayer. We should go to Jesus and tell Him all our needs. We may bring Him our little cares and perplexities as well as our greater troubles. Whatever arises to disturb or distress us, we should take it to the Lord in prayer. When we feel that we need the presence of Christ at every step, Satan will have little opportunity to intrude his temptations. It is his studied effort to keep us away from our best and most sympathizing friend. We can safely commune with Him of all that is in our hearts." So we should run to Jesus and present our problems to Him.

The third key comes from verses 4 and 5 which say, "Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth."  So Key #3 is Claim the Promises of God. Here David is claiming the promise God had made to him before that He would be David's helper. We must claim the promises of God, too! "Jesus lives. Move out by faith, and claim the promises of God." HS 129

Then we find the fourth and fifth keys from verse 6, "I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good." It says that I will freely sacrifice unto the Lord. Sacrifice is giving up something; doesn't that sound like surrender? Does Key #4 is Surrender 100% to God. Adventist Home, page 343 says, "Make a complete surrender to God. Fall on the Rock, Christ Jesus, and be broken."

The Key #5 is Sing! Evangelism, page 499 says, "If there was much more praising the Lord, and far less doleful recitation of discouragements, many more victories would be achieved. Let praise and thanksgiving be expressed in song. When tempted, instead of giving utterance to our feelings, let us by faith lift up a song of thanksgiving to God. Song is a weapon that we can always use against discouragement. As we thus open the heart to the sunlight of the Saviour's presence, we shall have health and His blessing."  So let's sing when we're in trouble and for sure it will help! :)

And the sixth and seventh keys from the last verse (7): "For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies." Here David is remembering what God did for him in the past in delivering him from trouble and this is Key #6 - Remember what God did in the past. Do you remember all the blessings and providences God did for you in the past? Last Day Events page 72 says, "We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history." If only we would remember the blessings and providences God did for us in the past and we would have no reason to complain or be discouraged for whatever situation we find ourselves in.

And Key #7 is Focus on the positive. Upward Look, page 329 says, "Bear no discouraging testimony, for this pleases the enemy. Talk of the goodness of God. Have we not enough at every step to praise him for?"

Sometimes that is hard to do, but the more we focus on the positive, the more we will see our troubles decreasing as we keep our eyes upon the Lord!

So there are the 7 keys of what to do when we're in trouble! Let's use them when our troubles come and what a blessing we will gain!