Category Archives: Trust

Jan8

Following Jesus from a Planner’s Perspective

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Isn’t it comforting to know what to expect and to plan accordingly?
I think surprises are great and everything.  But I personally enjoy occasions more, when I’ve been looking forward to them, preparing mentally and physically.
I’ve already hinted in some of my posts about my personality and how I’m trying to learn to loosen up.
However some things in life are more enjoyable when I’m okay with the unexpected, and I’m always more aware of fun opportunities when I realize that spontaneity is not a bad thing.

As a planner by nature, I couldn’t help but ponder the command that Jesus gave His disciples as they set out on their journey.

He told them: “Take nothing for the journey- no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic.”
So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.
Luke 9:3,6

I’m sure that the disciples obeyed Him.  Maybe it wasn’t as hard for them as it would’ve been for me.  This short sentence from Jesus might sound trivial, but it’s monumental to me.  Just imagine if He hadn’t said it.  If I were there, preparing to go on a journey with Jesus, I would’ve had lots of question to help me pack adequately:

Where will we be going?
What will the weather be like there?
How long will we be in each place?
Will there be an ATM or should I pack cash?
How much will I need?
Can I wash my clothes there?
Shouldn’t we call ahead to make reservations?
When will we be back?
If we’re really going to be walking that far, shouldn’t I have started training a month ago?

Yet as I focus on planning, I begin to doubt.  My hope is erroneously found in how the events sync with my expectations.

Following Jesus is not about knowing what to expect.
It’s about knowing Him.

Following Jesus is not about relying on the things we packed.
It’s about trusting that He is more than we ever need.

Does it sound risky to you, to follow Jesus without knowing what lies ahead?

Following Jesus, the author of the universe, our personal Savior and friend, might be unpredictable.
But it might be the smartest thing we could possibly do.

A few verses later in Luke, Jesus takes 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish to feed over 5,000 people!

They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up 12 basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
Luke 9:17

Although I like to plan for the routine things in life, I’m learning that following Jesus does not require calculations and analysis.
The laws of nature don’t apply to Him.
He is above His creation.

There’s no need to plan ahead in the journey with Jesus.
Knowing Him, trusting Him, obeying Him is all that’s required of us.
And He will provide for us beyond our wildest dreams!

joy: Jesus is MORE than I need, and He is here!

Oct19

And There Was Light

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One of my favorite names of God is Creator.
Especially in times when I struggle with trusting Him,
or when I need help to obey a prompting that He puts on my heart,
I remind myself that He is THE Creator.
He IS powerful.

I don’t need to be so concerned with completely understanding how everything will come together
or even making sense of something in the past that He allowed to happen.

However I do need to be in the business of trusting Him more!

After all, my Lord created all of this world, simply with words!

Genesis 1 (paraphrase)

Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep……

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light……

And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water”….
And it was so.

And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear”……
And it was so.

Then God said, ”Let the land produce vegetation”…..
And it was so.

And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky”……
And it was so.

And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky”……
So God created the great creatures of the sea…and every winged bird….

And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures….
And it was so.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness….
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them. 

Is the Lord calling you to something that you’re nervous about doing?
He can be trusted.

Are you having trouble believing that He will answer your prayers?
He is able.

When you feel overwhelmed by your situation,
remember that God has your best interest in mind.
He loves you.
And He’s not just anybody,
He is the Creator of the universe!
He IS powerful.

joy:  I have a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe!!!

Oct18

Creative or Analytical?

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Do you consider yourself more creative or more analytical?

Do you see possibilities or strategies?

I’m sure that all of us have a bit of both.  And perhaps they’re not that different from each other.

Personally, I consider myself more analytical.
I want to know the why’s and how’s of everything.
I enjoy finding the most efficient and effective strategies to accomplish goals.
From organizing our home to running errands to spending time with friends to selling our house and finding a new one.
I want to understand everything, and if I don’t, it’s a little frustrating.
Okay, a lot frustrating.

This character trait actually gets me in trouble many times, but I’m working on it.
Instead of asking so many questions, I could just roll with it a little more.
Instead of being so fixed on spelling out all the steps of an entire process before even beginning, I could just take the first step and let it come together.
I’m learning to trust more.

This month in children’s church, our memory verse is Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
We’re talking about how God is our amazing Creator and He has actually imparted creativity into each of us that we can use for His glory!

He really has imparted His creativity into each of us for His glory.

There aren’t uncreative people.

Even analytical planning and strategizing can become a creative offering to the Lord!
As long as our trust in Him is greater than our desire to understand everything.

joy:  All of our character traits can be used for His glory.  After all, He put them in us!

Oct13

A Foggy Morning

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Yesterday morning, I drove to work through the beautiful, thick fog that landed on middle Tennessee like a soft, fluffy blanket.
It was awesome!
White, smokey mists hovering around autumn trees, hills, and creeks.
Peacefully sitting, existing, being.

Fog is so mysterious and enchanting to me.
I can always see the space around me, but I can’t clearly see far ahead or far behind.
Yet once I reach those points, I can see clearly in that space.
I’m sure that there are scientific explanations, but the beauty of it all is just as fascinating!

As I carefully drove in awe and wonder, the hovering cloud of tiny water droplets seemed to resemble what it might look like to see the Holy Spirit resting on us.  What a great reminder to go about the day, asking for His presence to fall on us, our neighbors, the places and people that we drive by, that we think of, that we see.

Driving through the fog, I can only see the space around me, trusting the direction of the road that I’m on.

Living in the Holy Spirit, I can live fully, joyfully in the present time of each day.
Not overcome with anxiety about the future.
Not haunted by regrets of the past.
Acknowledging that His gifts that are readily available now and giving thanks!
Seeing clearly, the people He’s put in my life now.
Living purposefully.
Loving without inhibition.
Cherishing each moment.
Seeing the beauty around me.
Even in the fog.

joy: Feeling God’s Truth in the amazing nature that He created.

 

Sep20

Regrets

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Maybe I should’ve……
I shouldn’t have said…….
What if I didn’t……
I should have gone…….
Things would’ve been better if I just…….

Regrets.

They keep me up at night.
They make me doubt my present decisions.
They have me reevaluating and overanalyzing.
They make me unsatisfied and ungrateful.

Regrets.

When focused on the changes I would make if I could go back in time, I’m crippled, paralyzed, and sad.  I’m not even talking about big things.  It’s ridiculous how I can magnify any small action and imagine how it developed into a negative impact on myself and others.  Time isn’t even a factor.  I can go back years in my mind and agonize over something I said that was probably forgotten by others.  And then I rationalize this disgusting thing by telling myself that I’ll learn from that mistake and do better next time.  But the truth is: this cycle of regrets is self-destructive.

How can I release this ugly monster?
How can I fully enjoy the perfectly imperfect present?

All I know is that when the eyes of my heart are focused on Jesus, those regrets aren’t important anymore.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Matthew 11:28

When I consider the cross, my remorse over trivial things is put in perspective.
How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!  Hebrews 9:14.

When I realize that He cares for me, and He created me with great plans in mind, I know that I can trust Him.
The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. Psalm 145:8.

When I believe that God’s sovereignty is greater than my petty regrets, I can’t be troubled with the “should’ve, could’ve, would’ve”‘s.

He is the great “I AM”.

If regrets are crippling you, can you stop,
and remember that He loves you?
He knows you.
He died for you.
And He is living and moving in your life now!
He has great plans for you,
plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Open the eyes of our hearts, Lord.

joy: God is greater than my fears!

Sep1

Promises

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I have never been one to make promises easily.
It’s not that I don’t value a commitment or an important contribution.
It’s just that I take promises seriously.
VERY seriously.
I REALLY don’t want to break a promise that I make.
And most of the time, something that might be linked with a promise is also linked with many, many outside factors.
Things beyond my control that could very easily prevent me from keeping my promise exactly.

I can’t promise that I’ll be there on time.  Who knows what traffic will be like!  But I’ll definitely try!
I can’t promise that I’ll  have the medical release forms completed by Tuesday.  That depends on the doctor’s office.  But I’ll be ready to pick it up when it’s ready!
I can’t promise that I’ll have supper ready when everyone is home.  Little Man might need a little extra one on one time.  But we’ll still eat!

Maybe I’m too cautious.  (Believe it or not, I have been accused of it before.)  But I’m okay with that as long as it doesn’t transform into worry.
I’m just aware of my surroundings.  Aware of the circumstances.  And aware of possibilities.

A few months ago, teaching Sunday school, I was reminded of my caution about promises.
Almost every week that I taught, the children consistently reminded me that they wanted to watch the video.
One particular Sunday, they were super eager about that video, and I was just trying to finish telling the Bible story.
So I, the one who very rarely uses the word “promise”, promised that we would see the video in just a minute.
Hoping that it would keep them from interrupting me more.
Alas, it turned out that there wasn’t a video ready that Sunday.
I wasn’t bothered about the video being unavailable.
But I was very bothered that I carelessly made a promise.

I want my promise, my word, to give itself it’s own validity.
No one should ever have to swear upon something to give it significance.
Can’t a person’s word and their dependability validate itself?
Actually, if someone feels the need to “swear on a mother’s grave” to show that a promise is trustworthy, I would be more likely to question their reliability.

“It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it” Ecclesiastes 5:5.
“Above all, my brothers, do not swear- not by heaven or by earth or by anything else.  Let your ‘Yes’ be yes, and your ‘No,’ no, or you will be condemned” James 5:12.  (Wow, I didn’t realize how extreme that verse in James was until now!)

I may not make promises often, but there is one that I will keep.
And I will repeat it as often as I can!

Mr. Solomon, I love you forever and always!  I promise!

joy: He promises to love me forever and always, too!  And I believe him!

Aug18

Growing Up, Letting Go

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As a child, I liked to do it myself. On an elevator, I wanted to push the button. Walking in to a room, I wanted to flip the light switch on. And even if mom or dad did it, I’d say, “Hey, you said I could do it.” So they might even turn it off, just so I could feel “independent” and do it myself. How silly of me!

Really, through each phase of my life so far, I like the feeling of accomplishment in doing it myself. Well, almost everything. I’d prefer for someone else to take out the trash, plunge the toilet, and teach me how to create a blog! I guess I have “selective do-it-myself“. But I’m quite all right with opening a door myself with a stroller and bag, taking care of my new baby (last summer) with limited help, carrying in all the groceries in as few trips to the car as possible. I can do it myself! And I’m proud of that! (When actually, if I asked for help more often, it would probably bless the helper as much as myself.) My aspiration for independence in these insignificant things convicted me! Many times I forget that I cannot be independent from the Lord, as much as I might try to be. As I pull away, trying to do it “on my own”, I’m actually revealing a lack of trust. And the more that I realize how completely and utterly dependent upon the Lord I actually am, the more freely I can receive His gift of life!

At a women’s retreat this spring, our key verse was 1 Peter 2:2-3, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” The speaker encouraged us to “grow up in our salvation”. As I focused on that prompt to mature spiritually, I realized that my initial reaction would be to push harder, accomplish more, go farther. Like a weight-lifter, I can do more, put another weight on the bar. If I just grit my teeth, clench my fists, and believe in myself, I can “grow up”.

Yet that mentality doesn’t correlate with the gospel of Jesus Christ at all!
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God…”
Ephesians 2:8

Contrary to my initial reaction to the idea of “growing up in my faith”, I believe that spiritual maturity is actually a result letting go more, a greater dependence on the Lord! Let me rephrase that, we’re all completely and utterly dependent upon Him whether we realize it or not. So perhaps, spiritual maturity correlates with an increased realization of dependence upon Him.

Instead of adding more weights to the barbell, maybe “growing up” actually means, taking the weights off. Sliding them onto the barbell of the One who said:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
(Matthew 11:28-30)
He wants to “swap” burdens with us. He’ll take the expectations that we put on ourselves to be perfect. He’ll take the pressure to provide for our families. He’ll take the exhaustion at the end of the day. And in return, He’ll give us peace as we trust!

The only problem with becoming more dependent on the Creator is that we don’t get the credit. But did we ever actually deserve it? Instead of doing it myself and feeling proud, I can joyfully admit that I’m totally dependent upon my Maker as I boast in His grace!

joy: God is faithful!