I love the account of Moses in Exodus in the Bible. God’s people had finally been released from bondage and captivity in Egypt and had followed God’s instructions. They were now standing on the edge of a large expanse of water called the “Red Sea” with no way to cross. Suddenly they hear the chariots of the Egyptian army coming towards them. They feared for their lives and the lives of their children as they had no means of escape or defence. What are they to do? Trapped with nowhere to go are three million terrified men, women, and children.
And that’s when trust came into play. Moses lifts his face and calls 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). Then God instructs Moses to stretch out his staff over the water and watch what He will do for them.
All the prayers, all the crying out to God, all the hopes for freedom – everything now hangs in the balance. The army is fast approaching; their swords ready to cut them down or, at best return them to a life of bondage and slavery. But Moses stands His ground and trusts. And because He trusted the waters parted, the people passed safely through on the dry ground, and the ocean engulfed the Egyptian army as God accomplishes what He has promised. “I will fight for you, and you will hold your peace”.
Over the years, I have discovered some keys to help me trust God because trust gives us the confidence to believe, act when we need to, stand when asked, and have faith that God will get to us what He has promised.
I have found it helpful to:
1. Take hold of God’s Word. God is in His Word, and when you know what it says, you know Him. You gain an understanding of His character, of how He acts and what He will do for you. Knowing His word gives you confidence and causes 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 “amazing” for you. When you’ve prayed and seen God answer, when you’ve had a breakthrough; when you have received what you have believed for, that’s when you write it down so that you can recount it later, or the next time you’re faced with a challenge and need to put “trust to work”.
In our family, we make an effort to remind and tell each other when God has answered. We share testimonies of His goodness. We tell stories of others who have trusted and seen God move in their 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 your trust. It expands your thinking of what God is and will do for you. People think and expect too small most of the time! Telling and retelling about when He has shown Himself strong helps you take your eyes off your circumstances and onto God. Then you pray more expectantly and can look and see things through His perspective and not your own.
Today, write down all the times you can remember when God has shown His love and care for you. The times He has revealed 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 about how many awe-inspiring, real-life stories people have to tell.
We trust because we learn that God is trustworthy. The more time you spend reading His Word and growing in your understanding and relationship with Him, the more you will trust Him every day.
Prayer: Lord, I thank you for your friendship and word, which reveals who you are and how you show yourself strong on behalf of those who love and trust you. Help me take the time to get to know you, learn how to trust you, and to remember all the miracles you do in my life. In Jesus name Amen.