Sunday Sermon: Choose Trust Over Worry in the Month of Favor

Date: May 3, 2026

Scripture Focus: Psalm 55

Key Bible Verse: “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.”  Psalm 55:22

Introduction

Welcome to the first Sunday of May. As the season changes and the earth blooms, we are stepping into what we declare as our Month of Favor. There is a famous saying that “worrying is like a rocking chair; it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.” Often, the greatest thief of God’s favor is a heart consumed by anxiety. In Psalm 55, David describes a heartbreak we can all relate to: the sting of betrayal by a “close friend.” It is hard to feel favored when you feel forsaken by those you love. However, David shows us that favor is not the absence of battles, but the presence of God’s peace within them. He made a conscious choice to turn to the Lord “evening, morning, and noon.” He learned that while we cannot control the actions of others, we can control where we place our burdens. Today, we look at how to move from the rocking chair of worry to the solid ground of trust, opening the door for the favor of God to overflow in our lives.

1. Favor Amidst the Fire

True favor is not a life without problems; it is the divine assistance of God that sustains you while the fire is hot. David’s distress in Psalm 55 stems from a breach of intimacy, a battle that felt unfair and overwhelming. When those we trust turn against us, we often feel that God’s favor has left us. But we must realize that being a person of favor doesn’t mean you won’t feel the sting of life; it means the sting cannot destroy you. David’s pain was real, yet he realized that earthly disappointments are often the very things that drive us into the arms of the Heavenly Father. When people fail you, it highlights the one Friend who never will. Favor is the supernatural shield that protects your heart from becoming bitter when life becomes bitter. As you navigate the personal battles of this month, remember that God’s favor is most visible when He carries you through what should have broken you. You are favored not because your circumstances are perfect, but because your Protector is.

2. The Frequency of Favor

How do we stop the cycle of worry and enter the flow of favor? David provides a practical strategy: a rhythm of prayer. He says he cries out “evening, morning, and noon.” Favor is cultivated in the secret place of consistent fellowship. Worry thrives in the gaps where we forget to talk to God. By establishing a constant dialogue, we interrupt the momentum of anxiety and align ourselves with heaven’s frequency. When we pray throughout the day, we are essentially saying, “God, I am walking in Your favor, and I trust Your timing.” This constant turning to the Lord shifts our perspective from the magnitude of the problem to the magnitude of our Provider. David found that through this consistent recourse, God “redeemed his life in peace.” Notice that the battle was still “against him,” but the favor of God gave him a peace that didn’t make sense to his enemies. Favor is the quiet confidence that even while the battle is raging, the victory is already secured in the spirit.

3. Casting Cares to Claim Blessings

One of the most famous invitations in Scripture is found in Psalm 55:22: “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you.” To “cast” means to throw something heavy off yourself and onto someone else. You cannot carry the weight of worry and the weight of glory at the same time. Many of us miss out on the favor of the present because we are too busy clutching the anxieties of the future. To cast your cares is to make room in your hands for God’s blessings. Many believers find that as they release their “cares” in the margins of their Bibles, they start to see “favors” appearing in their daily lives. God does not always remove the situation immediately, but His favor ensures that the situation does not consume you. He sustains the person who is willing to let go. This month, as you cast your burdens, watch how God replaces that heavy weight with the light yoke of His grace and the unexpected doors of favor.

4. The Declaration of Trust

The sermon of David’s life concludes with a definitive declaration: “As for me, I trust in you.” Trust is the bridge to favor. Feelings are like the weather—fickle and constantly changing—but trust is the anchor that holds the ship steady during a storm. When the waves of disappointment hit, we must speak to our souls and declare that we are favored children of the Most High. Trusting God means believing in His favor even when we cannot see His hand. It means believing that He is working all things together for our good, even the betrayals. As we begin this Month of Favor, let us decide that worry will no longer be our default setting. Instead, we will be a people characterized by a quiet confidence. We choose to be sustained by His favor rather than drained by our own fear. When you trust God completely, you give Him the permission to show out in your life in ways you never thought possible.

This Month’s Reflection

As we enter May 2026, take a moment to look back at the first four months of this year. How much favor have you missed because your eyes were fixed on your worries? Reflection is the mirror of the soul, allowing us to see where we have allowed the noise of the world to drown out the promise of God’s favor. This month, we are called to evaluate our internal inventory. Are you holding onto old hurts from friends who let you down? Are you projecting the failures of people onto the character of God? This reflection is not meant to bring guilt, but to bring clarity. God is inviting you into a season where His favor will resolve the battles you could not win on your own. Consider the areas of your life where you feel most vulnerable. It is in those exact spaces that God wants to demonstrate His favor. Let this month be defined by a “morning, evening, and noon” commitment to surrender. Every time a worrisome thought enters your mind, replace it with a declaration of favor. Instead of saying “What if I fail?” start saying “What if God favors me?” Reflection leads to a change in perspective, and a change in perspective opens the heavens. Let us clear the clutter of anxiety to make room for the harvest of favor that God is preparing to pour out upon us this May.

Deliverance Session

Deliverance begins with the breaking of chains that bind our minds and block our favor. Today, we address the spirit of heaviness and the spirit of fear that often accompanies seasons of betrayal. Worry is a thief; it steals your present favor by borrowing trouble from a future that God has already handled. In this session, we stand against the lies of the enemy that suggest you are forgotten or unfavored. We declare deliverance from the “rocking chair” of stagnation. We pray for the breaking of emotional cycles where you replay past hurts over and over. True deliverance is found in the authority of Jesus Christ, who faced the ultimate betrayal so that we could be cloaked in divine favor. We command every spirit of anxiety to leave this atmosphere right now. We speak over your mind—peace, be still. We break the power of sleepless nights and the physical toll that stress has taken on your body. Deliverance is also about being set free from the need to control. Today, we release the “need to know” and embrace the “One who favors.” We pray for a release of the weight that has been pressing on your chest. As you breathe in, receive the favor of God. As you breathe out, release the bitterness. You are being delivered from the prison of worry into the overflow of favor. Walk out of here today with the mind of a victor.

Altar Call

The altar is the place where your worry meets God’s favor. It is where we bring our “ashes” and receive “beauty.” Right now, the invitation is open to anyone who is tired of carrying the weight of the world. If you have been living in a state of constant battle, fighting against enemies or even friends, the Lord is calling you to a place of favored rest. You do not have to be “perfect” to come to this altar; you only have to be ready to let go. If you have never made the decision to put your trust in Jesus Christ, this is your moment to step into a life of eternal favor. He is the only friend who will never betray you. For those who are already believers but have allowed worry to block the flow of favor in your life, this is a moment of rededication. Come and “cast your cares” physically and spiritually. Lay them down at the feet of Jesus. Do not leave this sanctuary with the same burdens you brought in. There is no problem too big for His favor and no person too broken for His love. Whether you are seeking salvation, healing from a broken heart, or simply a fresh touch of favor for the month of May, the Father is waiting. He sees your struggle, He hears your cries, and He is ready to sustain you with His goodness. Step out from your seat and step into the favor of God.

 Challenging Session

Now comes the challenge: Favor is a gift, but trust is a discipline. I challenge you this week to stop talking about your problems more than you talk to God about His favor. We often find ourselves venting to everyone, which only keeps the worry alive and the favor at a distance. The challenge for May 2026 is to adopt David’s rhythm. Can you commit to three specific times a day to stop and thank God for His favor? Even if it is just for two minutes, dedicate your morning, your noon, and your evening to the Lord. Furthermore, I challenge you to start a “Favor Journal.” Every time something small or large goes right this month, write it down. Recognize it as the hand of God. When the urge to worry returns—and it will—open that journal and remind yourself: “I am a child of favor.” The world watches how we handle crisis. When we walk with peace in the middle of a storm, people ask us for the secret to our favor. Will you be a person who demonstrates the reality of God’s sustaining grace? The challenge is to stop trying to fix what only God’s favor can finish. Trust Him with the people who hurt you, the bills that scare you, and the future you cannot see. May this month be the time you finally stop rocking and start walking in your divine purpose.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come before You today acknowledging that You are the source of all favor and the author of all peace. We thank You for the honesty of David in Psalm 55, reminding us that favor does not mean we are exempt from the trials of life. Lord, we confess that we have often chosen the rocking chair of worry over the path of Your favor. We have tried to carry burdens that were never meant for our shoulders. Today, we make a collective decision to cast those cares upon You as we enter this new month.

Lord, for every person here struggling with a broken relationship, let Your favor bring restoration. For every person facing a financial battle or a health crisis, let Your favor provide a way where there seems to be no way. We pray for the grace to establish a rhythm of prayer—to seek You morning, noon, and night. Transform our anxiety into adoration. Help us to remember Your favor in years past so that we can trust You for the days ahead.

We ask for Your favor to guard our hearts and our minds. Let us be a people who are defined by our trust in You, rather than our fear of the news. As we go through this month of May, let Your favor lead us and Your presence go before us. We declare that You are our refuge and our strength. Thank You for hearing our cries and for surrounding us with favor as with a shield. We pray all this in the mighty and matchless name of Jesus. Amen.

Have a blessed week ahead in Jesus name. God bless abundantly.