There are few things more welcome than the dawning of a new day – especially when you have been enduring a sleepless night of pain. A few weeks ago stomach pain kept me out of bed four nights in a row. I sat in a chair, dozing fitfully and praying for daylight. I remembered that King David had endured such nights. One of those nights, spent hiding from Saul’s soldiers in a cave, inspired him to compose Psalm 57. Aware that they would kill him if they found him, David trusted God, confident that he could “hide beneath the shadow of your wings until this storm is past.” David admits that he is afraid: “Frantic fear grips me.” But remembering the kindness and love of God, David determines to “greet the dawn with song!” Confidence in the faithfulness of God can indeed help us overcome fear and praise God instead. There is something wonderful about the breaking of the dawn. When the first rays of light appear, the birds begin singing and our hearts tingle with hope as we eagerly await the sunrise. Dark shadows surrender to the bright beauty of a new morning. The night is past and a new day with a fresh start makes us come alive! The harshness of life can drive us into caves of fear, anxiety and depression. There, inside those caves, we have a choice. We can choose bitterness, self-pity and despair. We can suppose that “nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen.” Or we can choose to believe that the God who made us cares for us, that he cares so much he will give us the strength to persevere rather than give up. We can believe that God loves us so much he will fill us with hope that “joy will come in the morning!” When I find myself in a cold, dark cave, with fear gripping my heart, I ask God to help me to think like David thought. When Saul’s jealousy and hatred drove him into a long night in a cave, David cried, “My God will fulfill his purpose for me,” and “My God will send forth his unfailing love.” So pushing fear aside, David shouted, “My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises!” Next time you are hurting, and hiding in a miserable cave of despair, kick fear in the mouth ask the God who loves you to help you make it through the night and greet the dawn with a song! Then you can join me in sharing with other strugglers that there is nothing quite as beautiful as the dawning of a new day. + + +