Anxiety, Enemies, and Trusting God When You Feel Surrounded - Psalm 59:1-17 | September 15, 2026

Welcome to today's edition of One Single Story. Pastor Stephen Mizell, Pastor Jay Rivenbark and Pastor Alyssa Bream dig into Psalm 59, a prayer of David written while Saul's soldiers surrounded his house waiting to kill him. Today's conversation wrestles with anxiousness, righteous anger, and how the weapons and reach we hold today — a phone, a platform, a microphone — carry a very different weight than a sword or a slingshot ever did. Scripture Focus: Psalm 59:1-17 - David's cry for deliverance while under siege in his own home, and his declaration of trust in God's power and unfailing love despite being surrounded by enemies. In This Episode: Why David distinguishes between punishing hostile nations and showing no mercy to "wicked traitors" How David's prayer for his enemies to be a lasting lesson, rather than simply destroyed, reveals his focus beyond himself Whether the questions we ask of Scripture have changed with culture, even as the truth of Scripture stays the same The ethical weight of modern power - how a phone or a platform can do more damage today than an army could in David's time What spiritual leadership looks like when you feel surrounded by opposition or overwhelmed by anxiety Why emotions are useful gauges but poor navigators for decision-making The importance of a daily, not just weekly, commitment to worship and trusting God as our refuge Key Quote: "Emotions are great gauges but terrible navigators. They should give us some idea of the temperature of the situation, but they can't be the decision maker." About One Single Story: One Single Story is a weekday podcast where hosts read through the One Year Bible together and have honest, unscripted conversations about how Scripture applies to modern life. Each episode offers a brief, thoughtful lesson designed to help listeners connect ancient truth to the questions and challenges of today. Join us at Open Door Church in Edenton, North Carolina, and explore more at visitopendoor.com and onesinglestory.com. Subscribe to One Single Story so you never miss a daily conversation around the Word of God. New episodes release every weekday to walk alongside you in your One Year Bible reading plan. Coming This Week: Join us as we continue moving through the One Year Bible, exploring more Psalms and the daily disciplines of trusting God through anxiety, conflict, and the pressures of modern life. Grab your Bible, a pen, and paper, and follow along with us each weekday. Hashtags: #OneYearBible #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy #DailyDevotional #OpenDoorChurch #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLife #Scripture #Faith #Psalm59 #Anxiety #SpiritualLeadership #TrustInGod #DavidAndSaul #ChristianLeadership