Trusting is choosing to enter a place where we cease our striving and labours, and decide to rest in the confidence that God’s got it all in His hands and we can trust Him that everything will be okay.
Many times I’ve struggled to enter that rest. I’ve tried, as many of us do to figure it out for myself and to make it happen in my ability and strength. However I have grown to understand that all of us would be far more peaceful, calm and have a greater inner strength if we learnt and chose to trust God to sort out and resolve things on our behalf.
I love the account of Moses in Exodus in the Bible which reminds us that God is more than capable of handling any situation or concern we may be facing. God’s people had finally been released from captivity in Egypt. They had followed His instructions and were now standing on the edge of the “Red Sea” with no way to cross. Suddenly they hear the chariots of the Egyptian army coming towards them, and they we afraid for their lives, and the lives of their children. They had no means of escape or defence. What are they to do? Trapped with nowhere to go are stand these terrified three million people.
And that’s when trust came into play. Moses lifted his face and cried out to God “What do I do now?” The answer comes, “Do not be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which I will accomplish for you today. I, the Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:14) God instructs Moses to stretch out his staff over the water and then to watch what He will do for them.
The army is fast approaching, fully armed, their swords ready to cut them down, or at best return them to a life of bondage and slavery. All the prayers, all the crying out to God, all the hopes for freedom, everything now hangs in the balance. But this one man Moses stands His ground and trusts. And because He trusted the waters parted, the people passed safely through on dry ground, and the ocean engulfs the Egyptian army as God accomplishes what He has promised. “I will fight for you, and you will hold your peace”.
Trust that God wants us to have in Him will give us confidence to believe; too act when we need to; to stand when asked and to trust that God will get to us what He has promised . Over the years I have discovered some keys to help me trust God more.
I have found it helpful to:
1. Take hold of God’s Word. God and His Word are one and when you know His Word, you know Him. Through His Word we gain an understanding of God’s character, of how He acts, and what He will do for us. Knowing His word gives us a confidence and causes us to have an inner strength and calm, even in the midst of difficulties.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
“The LORD said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.” (Jeremiah 1:12)
2. Write down when God does something “specky” for us. When we’ve prayed and seen God answer; when we’ve had a breakthrough; when we have received what we have believed for, that’s when we write it down so that we can recount it later when we are faced with a challenge and need to put “trust to work”.
It’s also good to share testimonies of His goodness with others. To tell and listen to stories of how we have seen God move in our’s and others lives.
“I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us– yes, the many good things he has done.”(Isaiah 63:7)
What does this do? It builds our trust and confidence in God. It expands our thinking of what God is and will do for us. We think and expect too small most of the time! Telling and retelling about when He has shown Himself strong helps us to take our eyes off our circumstances and onto God. Then we pray more expectantly, and are able to look and see things through His perspective and not our own.
Today, write down all the times you can remember when God has shown His love and care for you. The times He has shown Himself strong for you or those you know. Talk to those around you and ask them to tell of a time when God took care of them or moved in their life. It’s amazing when you start to talk to people how many awe inspiring real life stories people have to tell.
God wants us to know today that whatever we are facing we can bring it to Him and trust Him to help us through because He is trustworthy.
Prayer: Lord I thank you for your word which reveals who you are and how you show yourself strong on behalf of those who love and trust you. Help me to take the time to get to know you and to remember all the good you have done and continue to do in my life. In Jesus name Amen.