My Beloved Savior, these things I believe: You are good; that You are good to me; and, You know when/how to act on my behalf. When I encounter circumstances that do not go my way, these are the truths I must cling to. They help me remember the good things that You are doing even when what I see seems to be dictating otherwise. They keep me focused on Your goodness and, in doing so, I am able to maintain my trust in You. As I reflect on these truths, I am enveloped in a peace that chases away my runaway fears and scrambled emotions which cause me to question Your motives and methods. When problems get me down, I am tempted to question how a good God could let these things happen to me. It is easy to trust You when I think You are enacting my plans. However, it’s a different situation when You are implementing Your own. That is when I lose my peace and I become fearful.
It is so easy to stand fast when You work in a wonderful and miraculous way to solve my problems. It is very different when Your answer is “no” or You deal with them in a way I don’t agree with. How quickly my trust in You evaporates when things do not go the way I think they should. In my heart, I know that You have the power to accomplish the impossible in a spectacular way that proves You can deal with any problem I face. When I am overwhelmed by my problems, I begin to fear that my expectations will go unmet. In these times, my faith is shaken and crumbles. Your Word promises that, if I draw near to You, You will draw near to me. In that kind of intimacy, I know I’ll be able to receive the instructions I need to get me out of my dilemma. I must understand that You are under no obligation to fix things the way I think they should be fixed. What I owe You is my unwavering trust.
Your desire is to lead me through life’s decisions … and that can’t be done in the midst of doubt and whimpering. Sometimes my lessons will take me into the desert … like when You were led there by the Holy Spirit to deal with the Devil. During these times, You’ll require that I work harder, under more trying circumstances in order to become a better and wiser person. If I do not listen and learn, I will find myself making repeated trips into the desert until I gain a better perspective and deeper faith. Once I can see Your goodness and desire to produce good in my life, I should be more willing to cooperate with You in carrying out Your plans. Perspective is a key element in learning to trust. The clarity I need to gain a good perspective comes from time spent with You. If I focus on the three truths I spoke of earlier, I know I’ll be able to deal with whatever comes my way. And it’s in Jesus name I pray. Amen!!
Psalm 56:3-4 When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God whose Word I praise, in whom I trust.