A Prayer for When You Aren't Quite Yourself (Psalm 34)
You're not yourself when you're afraid—but God is himself despite your fears. In this week's message from our summer Psalms series, Pastor Nate Holdridge walks through Psalm 34, a prayer David wrote from one of the lowest points of his life, after fear had driven him to feign madness before a pagan king. What David discovered in that cave became both a testimony and a teaching: the LORD answers those who seek him, draws near to the brokenhearted, and redeems the life of his servants. Pastor Nate unpacks what it means to "taste and see that the LORD is good," to trade the fear of people for the fear of the LORD, and to practice relentless praise even when circumstances haven't changed. The message lands where the psalm itself lands—at the cross, where the true Righteous Sufferer had not one of his bones broken, our Passover Lamb whose death secures our redemption. Whether you're walking through affliction or simply not quite yourself these days, this is an invitation to turn to the God who is near.
Jesus Famous is a ministry of Calvary Monterey.We long to see the fame of Christ. By fame, we mean His glory, His renown, or, to borrow from Colossians, His preeminence (Colossians 1:18). When Jesus is famous, everything changes and He becomes our passion, because His love is better than life.
When Jesus is famous in us, we love Him. We know Him and He knows us. We are captivated by His grace, His forgiveness, and His love.
When Jesus is famous among us, we grow in Him. Our motivations change in pursuit of the gospel. His Spirit transforms us into a loving community.
When Jesus is famous through us, we share Him. Jesus saturates our everyday rhythms and conversations. We are empowered to be on mission, serving those around us.
