Let's Trust Him
It was my God time. My Quiet Time. The Best time of my day. Birds chirped a cheery good morning. The tall, lush foliage adorning our backyard fence waved their arms in wordless worship. A wind rustled through them, soft and melodious, whistling songs of joy. I looked up, expecting to view azure blue skies but instead saw a pile of grey clouds gathering thick and fast, like a crowd of unruly spectators filling a football stadium. A thin sliver of sunshine fell on my Bible.
I looked up and smiled. 'Thank you God' I whispered. "Thank you for being here". Yes, His presence was a soft shawl around me - tangible, close, real. I was transported into a place of beauty, truth and goodness. Worship songs bubbled up and I gave myself up in adoring God. Until ... unexpected raindrops splashed merrily on my arm, my nose and my face.
Oops! The rain increased, fast and furious, so I had to take notice. I gathered up my belongings and moved hastily to the patio. Settling myself at the glass topped table under cover, I continued my Time with Jesus. And I also learnt a good lesson!
There was rain today when no rain was expected!
Do not trust weather reports. They are not always right!
A few weeks on, I learnt it again in an opposite kind of way. Rain was predicted overnight, so I spent a lot of time and energy moving my clothing airer full of with wet, washed clothes from the outdoors to our undercover patio area. But I found next morning that the promised rain hadn't arrived. In fact, it was now a bright sunny day, so my energy had been misspent. I had to lug all those washed clothes back to where they could have remained in the first place.
No rain today when rain was expected!
Do not trust weather reports. They will not always deliver!
Trust! That's the bottom line of our faith isn't it? Are you always able to trust Him? I admit, ashamed, that this is where I often fall short.
I want to trust Him, I try to trust Him. I sometimes trust Him. But ...! There is a 'but'. To trust God with trivial matters is easy. The difficulty is when I need to trust Him in matters important to me. It's so hard not to worry or doubt or get anxious when things go pear-shaped! I know of course that what keeps me safe is not worry or anxiety but the love of my faithful God. Then ... why do I keep my eye fixed on the problem, implying implicitly that as long as I remain anxious, the glasshouse of my hopes and dreams will never be shattered?
One morning, during a season of learning to trust, God spoke to me through a verse of scripture:
"In repentance and rest is your
salvation;
in quietness and trust is your
strength." Isaiah 30:15.
Like a loud long thunder-clap, it got my attention. And like the sap of a tree drawn up from its roots to bring nourishment to the branches, those words spoke deep into my heart, fertilising its barren places.
Repent. Rest. Quietness. Trust.
Life-giving words. Words to heed. Words to act on!
I was struggling at the time with an issue that had stolen my peace. However ... I hadn't even realised that I needed to repent. It was clear to me now that I had a lot of repenting to do. I repented for not trusting God with the problem. I repented for seeing things my way and not from His perspective. I repented for blocking God's work by refusing to trust Him. I repented for trying to fix the problem myself rather than being still and allowing God to do His work, in His way and in His time.
Rest meant not trying to figure things out and not constantly checking if all was well. Rest meant not ruminating on the problem. Rest meant God did the work as I trusted Him.
Quietness meant keeping my mouth shut. So hard to do sometimes! (Zip your lips, Anusha!) And trust? That was my Number One lesson. That IS my Number One lesson! And so ... as I face the coming months, trusting God continues to be my focus.
Trust Him. Rest in Him. Be quiet. Let go and let God.
A child does that so well. She holds her daddy's hand, allowing him to lead. How simple life would be if I did the same with my Heavenly Father!
Are you able to trust Him? Can you let go and let God?
May you and I learn to live as children of the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, whose ways are always good, and whose character is one that can be wholly trusted! Let's spur each other on! Let's please our Father by trusting in Him who loves us and works ceaselessly (often in ways we cannot see), to bless us.
Trust in Him at all times O people, Pour our your hearts to Him, For God is our refuge." Psalm 62:8
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
