Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Do you trust God?

Hey,
It's been a while since I've actually published anything here. I've sat down quite a few time and begun writing something, but it just never got finished for one reason or another. But. I finally got this one up!

This past year has been unique for me in quite a few ways. But there has also been a consistent theme, God working on me to trust Him and release control of my life to Him. I think I can sum it up as the difference between "trusting God" and Trusting God.

Trusting God can be a cliche concept in our modern Christian culture. You hear it in prayer, you hear it in conversation, and you hear it from the pulpit. And I think that, at an intellectual level, most Christians "trust God." But I feel like so many less Christians actually practice what they believe. I know in my life, while in my head, I would say that I trust God in a lot of ways, the way I live my life says something different. And while it may not seem like a big deal in the little areas of life, it really can make a difference when when the storms of life hit. That's when you figure out if you built you're life on the sand of "trusting God" or the firm foundation of Trusting God. Jerry Bridges defines trust as "Trust is not a passive state of mind. It is a vigorous act of the soul by which we choose to lay hold on the promises of God and cling to them despite the adversity that at times seeks to overwhelms us." Trust isn't something you can "set and forget." It's something that has to be constantly monitored. It requires effort on our part. God will always be there, and He can handle any and everything we give to Him.

A few months back i heard a sermon on Matthew 14, where Jesus walks on the water. And paraphrasing the story, Peter sees Him, and says "If that is you Lord, tell me to walk on the water too you!" So Jesus does. And Peter walks on the water. But it doesn't end there. Think about a lake, and think of it first thing in the morning when its like glass. Not a ripple to be seen. Think how easy it would be for Jesus to say to you, "Walk to me on this water", boom, you step on it and you are on your way! But, this lake was anything but glass, it says the boat was getting pounded by waves and the wind was against them. We're talking STORM here! So there Peter is, walking on the water in this crazy storm, and he starts looking around. He sees huge waves, the sails of the boat snapping and tugging, being beat by the wind. And he becomes scared.... well duh! I, like Peter am not perfect, and when the storms of life are around me, I tend to look at them instead of Jesus too. But, Peter knows who is help is in times of trouble, when he begins to sink he calls for Jesus. And Jesus takes his hand, and they walk back to the boat together in the midst of the storm. And that's the other thing, God isn't going to always calm the storms of out life, but He'll always be there to walk through them with us if we are willing to let Him

But that's the catch. We have to give it to Him. God will very rarely come just take our problems from us. He's there. He's willing. He's able. But it take us giving it to Him. Now that may sound like He doesn't care. Which is completely opposite. He's cares more then we can imagine. And because of how much He cares he DOESN'T get involved unless we are willing to release it.

Think about a car. There can only be one driver. Imagine if there were two steering wheels, two gas pedals, two brakes, and two drivers all only controlling one car? It would be a disaster! In the same way with our life, God and I can't both be in control at the same time. It just doesn't work.

This where God has been working on me. At one point I specifically remember Him asking me, "Do you trust me to be in control of this situation" and I said yes. Three times he asked me that, each time I said yes, I wanted Him in control, I wanted Him driving that car. Shortly after He took that situation and changed the direction that the car was driving. And honestly I still don't know where the car is headed. and a few times I've come really close to wrestling the steering wheel out of His hands. But I know this. I know that He is a good God. I know that He loves me more then anyone ever can or ever will I know that he wants whats best for my life more then I do. And if I can trust Him, He will take me to places I can never dream of.

As the title of this blog says "God+Me=God" but that only works if you add God   

PS, these are a couple of awesome worship songs that I have been listening to a lot:
Good Good Father - Chris Tomlin
Head to the Heart - United Pursuit

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