When David wrote this instructive psalm, he was in trouble. He was likely cowering in a hole dug deeply into a hill, hiding from enemies pursuing him. He was lonely, desperate, and in need of help. As he hid from his adversaries, he felt out of control and uncertain of the future. So David implored the Lord for guidance, acknowledging in this time of distress that his trust and confidence had to come from God.

Many of us can resonate with David’s cry in this psalm. Throughout the course of a season, we as coaches often feel as if people are out to trap us. This feeling comes when athletes seem disinterested or uninvolved, and when administrators are demanding wins. The cyclical nature of coaching can easily lead us to feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. This is a part of coaching that can be draining, leaving us feeling empty or without sufficient resources to survive another season, let alone another off-season.

But David teaches us from a dark cave that God sees the entire future, though we can only see the present moment. God promises to walk faithfully ahead of us to light the way, so we can relinquish our desire to control our destiny. He mercifully led the Israelites through the desert. The same God who lit their path with fire thousands of years ago desires that we call out to Him today. He promises to lead and guide us through the darkest of times.

We serve a God who came to earth in the body of a man and also felt fatigue. He experienced abandonment by those closest to Him and took on himself the self-serving demands of people. That’s why Jesus understands our cries to Him in the midst of dark, lonely, and tiring times.