Keep on Trusting

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. (Proverbs 3:5-6; The Message)

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My peace is the treasure of treasures; the pearl of great price. It is an exquisitely costly gift ... You receive this gift by trusting Me in the midst of life's storms. If you have the world's peace--everything going your way--you don't seek My unfathomable peace. Thank me when things do not go your way, because spiritual blessings come wrapped in trials.

January 24, Jesus Calling, Sarah Young

 May we all become people who pray. May we also learn to leave the burden with You, rather than pick it up and carry it with us after claiming that we're trusting You. Right now, Lord, take the burden. We cast it upon You, knowing that You’re better able to handle it than we ever will be.January 25, The Importance of Prayer, Charles R. Swindoll, Insight for Today

Give up the illusion that you deserve a problem-free life. Part of you is still hungering for the resolution of all difficulties. This is a false hope! ... Link your hope not to problem solving in this life but to the promise of an eternity of problem-free life in heaven. ... It is possible to enjoy Me and glorify Me in the midst of adverse circumstances. In fact, My Light shines most brightly through believers who trust Me in the dark. ... When things seem all wrong, trust Me anyway. I am much less interested in right circumstances than in right responses to whatever comes your way.
January 26, Jesus Calling, Sarah Young

Trust in Him; walk by faith and not by sight.

 

TRUST

My last blog post was on trust. I decided to focus on the word “trust” for the rest of the month. So, this post is a bit different from my other posts so far. As I focused on "trust," I found it in several other devotionals and messages I received over the month; see below.

Those who trust Jesus as Savior receive a new nature and are reconciled to the Lord.
January 13, Hope for a Changing World, In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley


Psalm 37:5, "Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act." (ESV)
January 13, Time and Again, Rachel Olsen, Encouragement for Today from Proverbs 31 Ministries


You are a healer and a comforter and in you we choose to trust. No one else can love us like you do. We ask that you will strengthen our resolve and help our unbelief. Help us to trust in you solely and lose any confidence that we have the ability to fix ourselves or others around us.
January 13, Prayer and Praise Update, Chris Wheel

Learn to trust Me when things go “wrong.” Disruptions to your routine highlight your dependence on Me. Trusting acceptance of trials brings blessings that far outweigh them all.
January 18, Jesus Calling, Sarah Young

I've learned over the past twenty years that when I listen to God I discover His best for me. And, I grow my trust in Him. I've seen again and again that His ways lead to His goodness. And when I follow Him, His mercy follows me.
January 19, Listening to God, Renee Swope, Encouragements for Today from Proverbs 31 Ministries

Don’t try to figure out what is happening [in your life]. Simply trust Me and thank Me in advance for the good that will come out of it all. I know the plans I have for you, and they are good (see Jer 29:11). Psalm 91:14-16: "The LORD says, 'I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.'" (NLT)
January 21, Return the Call, Karen Ehman, Encouragement for Today from Proverbs 31 Ministries


Strive to trust Me in more areas of your life. Anything that tends to make you anxious is a growth opportunity. Instead of running away from these challenges, embrace them, eager to gain all the blessings I have hidden in the difficulties. If you believe that I am sovereign over every aspect of your life, it is possible to truse Me in all situations.
January 20, Jesus Calling, Sarah Young



I hope you will find the peace that trust brings.

You're the Only Hope for This Heart

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and
lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5)

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Stress, worries, fear, troubles, doubts, insecurities. We all have them. The question is: What do you do with them? Did you know that you don’t have to carry the weight of all of your problems alone? You can’t do it, really. Not if you want to be content and live a happy life. Sometimes there are bills that you just don’t know how you’re going to pay; or you’re dealing with a difficult individual, and you don’t see how you can possibly “love your enemy” at the moment; or you find yourself seeking answers to a career or your calling in life, and the confusion or the wait for answers or a clear direction is “killing you.”

Just like dragging a bunch of overweight luggage around with you all day every day, all of that baggage is going to leave you mentally and physically drained. And you’re not going to function at your best or even be able to experience simple joy. I know that I have so much to be grateful for and joyous about. Do you? The problem is we often get so bogged down with everyday reality—or our own perception of reality—that we don’t always appreciate all the good things in our lives. Or worse, we become so self-absorbed, so me-focused because of worries, that we lose sight of what is going on in the lives of our family members and friends. We miss out on opportunities to be encouragers or to make a difference in the lives of others.

Why not consider a new method of dealing with your problems this year—pass them on! When you have issues weighing on your mind, especially things that you don’t have answers for, tell the Lord your troubles, and then trust Him to deal with them. Give your problems to God. Just let them go, and quit trying to do everything on your own.

“The all important rule is not to ‘try’ but to ‘trust,’ not to depend upon your own strength but upon his.” (Sit, Walk, Stand by Watchman Nee, p. 27)

Often, what causes us to worry is a sense of helplessness or a feeling that things are out of our control, so instead of believing that you have to find a way to bring everything under control, just quit trying to do everything, be everything and solve everything. You’ve got to trust in God and submit to Him with the confidence that He is in control of your life and that He is always working out circumstances for your good and His glory (see Romans 8:28).

Notice that I didn’t say that He is always arranging things for our happiness. God knows us and He knows the lessons we need to learn and the things we need to experience to grow and become more Christ-like. Sometimes those lessons are not fun; but they are necessary. Of course, when we don’t consult Him (about anything and everything) our poor choices and bad decisions can temporarily throw His good plans off track. But you can’t outthink God and you can’t mess up so badly that He won’t forgive you. If you are truly willing to change your ways and follow Him, God will create a new route to put you back on track for the great plans He has always had in mind for you.

“I want you to learn a new habit. Try saying, ‘I trust You, Jesus’ in response to whatever happens to you. … This simple practice will help you see Me in every situation … When you view events from this perspective … fear loses its grip on you. Adverse circumstances become growth opportunities when you affirm your trust in Me no matter what.” (Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, p. 5)

I have found that doing this lately—admitting that I do not have the answers and I don’t know what to do next, but that I trust God to know what’s best and to take care of me—has been very freeing. Life has thrown Bart and I some curve balls over the last few years and at times, I have allowed stress and worry to get me down. But, lately, I’m finding that when you choose not to worry, but to let go and trust instead, you get a sense of peace and contentment ... and rest.

I have a note posted on my wall at work to remind me: If you’re going to pray, why worry? And if you’re going to worry, why pray? Don’t tell God your problems and then keep praying about them over and over again impatiently waiting for the answer you desire. Trust that He has heard you and acknowledge that only He knows the best answer and the best timing. And don’t just take a breather and then snatch your troubles back out of His hands to worry over them again. You will solve nothing that way and it will not bring you contentment.

“If you keep on stating your concerns to Me, you will live in a state of tension. When you thank Me for how I am answering your prayers [long before you can discern results], your mind-set becomes much more positive.” (Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, p. 12)

Lord, help me to trust you with all my heart and to follow your will with eagerness, knowing that to do so is the surest path to peace.

Prayer + Thankfulness + Trust =
Peace + Gratefulness + Blessings

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“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
Whose confidence is in Him.” (Jeremiah 17:5–7)



Check out this great link that came out in a devotional the day after I posted this blog:
An Exercise in Casting Cares