I have always been confused by the phrases that Christians commonly use, and one of the most confusing to me is the phrase “just trust the Lord.” It is very good theology, but to my practical mind, it seems like an exceedingly abstract concept. How, specifically, does one trust the Lord? One day, I asked God to explain to me the meaning of trusting Him. The answer came in the form of a question. “If you trusted Me, what would you do?” Do? Well, that’s easy to answer! · I would not fear. Knowing that my God is greater than the challenges, I would go right ahead and tackle those problems with confidence! · I would be at peace. Knowing that my God is greater than the world, I would not feel a need to control my circumstances, nor would I be frustrated when, inevitably, circumstances spin out of my control. · I would have joy. Knowing that my God will win in the end, I would rest in the fact that all pain and struggle will disappear someday, and that I am loved by the Creator of the universe. How does this look in a practical sense?When I chose one job opportunity over another, I made a decision and trusted God with the outcome. That meant that I threw myself 100% into the job, and did not second-guess my choice, but believed that He would use my desire to be a good employee to bring honor to Himself. Result: Courage. When I desired to have a family of my own, and God delayed that desire while granting it to just about everyone else I know, I could have fought Him. (And I did, for a while.) But I asked myself, “If someone I loved requested something, and I did not give it, what would be my reasons? Could that person trust me?” I knew then that my good God desires my happiness—but only when it rises from what is truly best for me. Result: Peace. When my health became a struggle, I could have longed for things as they used to be. Instead, I chose to view my “new normal” as a direction that would teach me greater compassion to others, strengthen my spirit, and give me a greater appreciation for my complex body and God’s strength in weakness. Illness could accomplish in me exciting changes that I would have never experienced otherwise. Result: Joy. The AnswerWhat is trust? It is not holding on to anything that you think you need to preserve yourself. It means leaping from an airplane, and waiting for the parachute to open. It means diving deep and expecting the scuba gear to supply you with oxygen. It means getting tossed in the air, shrieking with laughter, and knowing that Daddy will catch you as you fall. That is trust. Psalm 34:8
2 Comments
8/20/2022 05:18:16 am
Opening yourself up to the process of change and growth helps you develop flexibility, and flexibility is key to consistently being the type of person you want to be in each situation.
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8/20/2022 05:25:35 am
There isn't one specific moment where you will finally have it all together and no longer have any room for growth.
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Meet YaashaNone of my life has gone the way it was "supposed to go," but I don't love my life any less because of the hardships and new directions. I see so much unexpected good in it, and I want others to see the good in theirs. Archives
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