CAN YOU TRUST GOD?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not
on your own understanding; in all your ways submit
to him, and he will make your paths straight.
(Proverbs 3:5-6)

MEDITATION:
When you are down and discouraged,
do you have a hard time trusting God?
Many pastors have had others come
to them and ask, “Why, pastor, why?”
The pastors cannot answer that question
because “Why?” is a question for God.

Our questions should be, “How?”
How are we going to react to what is going on?
God doesn’t always tell us the ‘whys’, but He
has given us the Holy Spirit to help us with the ‘hows’.

Many of God’s saints have gone into
darkness (deep darkness), and they have not known why.
Even those actively involved in preaching
and teaching can sink into a deep darkness.

There is going to come a time when we just
Don’t understand where God is, or what He is doing.
We are going to be in such darkness that
we won’t be able to see a way out of the darkness.

It can be one of those times when we feel
that others “just don’t understand”
and…we can’t even explain how we feel
so that they can understand.
(Note: This is why it is important
for believers to be encouragers)

Do you know what you do then?
Isaiah 50:10 says,
“Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word
of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark,
who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord
and rely on their God.”

Trust Him. Trust Him. Trust Him.
Trust Him, even though nothing in you feels like
trusting Him – you need to ‘will’ yourself to trust Him.
Recall the times when you have trusted Him before.

Can you trust God when you are submerged in sorrow?
Can you trust God when you are forsaken by friends?
Can you trust God when you are dismayed by darkness
and you don’t know what is happening?

ACTION:
Rather than trying to figure out what is going on,
accept the fact that God is in control and trust His wisdom.
Remember that God wants what is best for you,
and sometimes it may include periods of darkness.
And we know that in all things God works for the good
of those who love him, who have been called according
to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Although understanding the ‘why’ would be helpful,
we need to realize that ‘how’ we react and respond
is crucial, when we are in a dark time.
This realization gives us an opportunity to trust God!

When we trust God’s wisdom and rely on Him,
we can silence the voice of Satan as he attempts
to discourage and drive us deeper into darkness.
God will help us achieve victory over the things
that can create feelings of isolation and hopelessness,
which may sink us into a state of depression.

Pray.
“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your promises and
for how I can trust You at all times. Forgive me for the
times when I fail to trust You and trust myself instead.
I don’t have the wisdom, power, or foresight that You do,
so I only add to my problems whenever I try to solve them
in my own strength. Help me to trust You more, and
especially during the times when I cannot understand
the ‘what’ or ‘why’. Remind me that when I am a child
of Yours, everything that is going on in my life is under
Your control and for my benefit, or the benefit of others.”