Why Not Trust God...Again?

 “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee.” Psalm 56:3

One thing that completely scares every bone in my body is heights. I work at a Christian sports camp, Kids Across America, in the summer and there’s an elevated obstacle course called Treetops. One morning, the Lord was dealing with me about trusting Him in a particular situation, and I decided to step back and let God take control. I exercised this spiritual decision by taking a physical action and doing Treetops. I was terrified, but I sucked it up and went through. When I completed the course, I cried (yes, I’m a crier) and was able to relate the physical decision of trusting God to get me through my fear of heights to the spiritual decision of letting God take complete control of my life. I reflected on Romans 8:37 which talks about us being conquerors through Christ, and in that moment, I knew that the only way I was going to make it through the trials of life, was to trust God. The following year I returned to camp and was asked about doing the course again. My initial response was, “no way, I’m scared of heights and afraid to fall.” Had the course changed? Had the safety precautions decreased? The answer to the previous questions as you can imagine is “no.” I forgot all about what He taught me the previous summer. I forgot to trust God…again.

It amazes me the trials and temptations that we Christians face daily. We stumble upon circumstances like financial binds, life-changing decisions and even family drama. When we look back over the things that we have overcome, one thing remains constant: the presence of God. God shows up in his timing with blessings specifically designed for us. We rejoice after our suffering has ended and share the testimony of God’s goodness with loved ones. We even question ourselves as to why we thought that God would forsake us in the midst of the storm. But when a new situation arises, sometimes similar to a trial that we have faced in the past, the first decision we make in fear is to not trust God again.

Sure we do not make this decision aloud. However, our actions or reactions to our circumstances scream mistrust. We typically give into the temptation of thinking that our ways are equivalent or even exceed the power of God’s hand. The previous trial that God brought us through slips away and becomes a distant memory and the idea that God can and will make a way out of no way seems impossible. The thought that God will fulfill the promises that He gives us in His Word seems absurd. But why don’t we trust Him again, when the last time(s) that we faced a hardship, God showed himself strong.

In Proverbs, God commands us to “trust in the Lord with all of our hearts, and lean not on our own understanding” (Prov. 3:5). Our own understanding sometimes hinders us from wholeheartedly trusting in God. Imagine how things would be better if our initial reaction was to trust God instead of using God has a last resort. In order to endure in this race, we have to trust His plans for us, trust His promises, and trust His Word. The next time you find yourself in a predicament, take time to remember His faithfulness throughout your life’s journey. Humble yourself before the Lord and trust Him above all else. Insert your situation in the verse below, and watch God work!

When I ____________________________, I will put my trust in Thee.

Came to the Rescue

It is currently 12:28 AM and I should be sleep because I definitely have class in the morning. As I turn on my list of “slow worship songs” that typically help me doze off into that good sleep, “Came to the Rescue” by Hillsong begins to play. It is without a doubt one of my favorites. But tonight particularly, as the song plays, the lyrics in the chorus come alive to me and I cannot help but reflect on God’s goodness.

I call, You answer

And You came to my rescue

And I wanna be where you are.

My brain rushed to dissect these lines and I was quickly humbled. The first phrase “I call, You answer,” strikes me every time. When I think about calling on God to save me, it is always in the midst of a storm or trial. When things seem to be going great or blessings are overflowing, God just may get a text message. And if He’s lucky, He’ll get a text with a smiley face just to show my “gratefulness.” But when things in my life get a little shaky and I am in a bind, I quickly dial the number to call on my Savior to “do His duty.” If I were God, I would certainly get tired of being used; being used by the very creatures created for worship. I would get tired of the neglect and the pride that appears when the clouds pass away and the sun shines again. I would get angry at the ungratefulness of my children and the display of their actions that do not even hint to godliness. I would get upset to not receive the fear and reverence that I fully deserve, especially when the dark times begin to look brighter. Thankfully, God cannot deny His nature and is extremely gracious and merciful. When I am between a rock and a hard place, I can call on Him and He will answer, and never worry about leaving a voicemail message that never really gets returned.

I am also humbled because the fact remains that I am nothing without Christ. Before I knew Him, I was in desperate need of a Savior to rescue me. In the same way, as one that has a growing relationship with God, I still find myself reverting back to being a slave to my sin. In those moments when I fall short, the calling upon God symbolizes the total surrender to THE Savior. I cannot rescue myself, no matter how many times that I try. Having a mindset rooted in my pride and self-righteousness leads me right back to a place of rescuing. It is then that I realize that I need God more than anything and must surrender my pride and self-righteousness to call on Him.

 Not only does He answer when we call, but He comes to the rescue by meeting us where we are. He does not require that we gather our own strength and proceed to a valid checkpoint. And yes, we may have developed a few bad habits on our way, but God, meeting us where we are, will bring us back to where He wants us to be. He will not leave us alone and weary. In that moment that we are totally dependent on Him, He will ultimately show Himself strong. Now, after experiencing all this love, why wouldn’t you wanna be where He is?