Learning To Trust God With Your Life
My husband and I were sitting on the porch at the home of some of our closest friends reminiscing about the past. We had a lot of history with this couple, as I attended high school with the two of them and was often a third wheel on their dates. Once I met my husband-to-be in college, he joined our merry band and we became even closer friends. Kendall and Cindy were the couple we could always count on to be there through thick and thin. They saw us through my parent’s two bouts of cancer, delivering candy to the nurse’s station that tended my dad and took off work to sit with me in the waiting room during my mother’s surgery for breast cancer. We’ve been through a lot together! Little did we know we were about to add another challenging story to our history book!
It was a gorgeous day! We had leisurely slept in and grazed through a country breakfast of biscuits, bacon and eggs followed by a walk through the lovely Virginia mountain town where our buddies lived. Their home overlooked a beautiful reservoir tucked in the Blue Ridge mountains – an idyllic site to be sure – especially when viewed from the comfort of porch swings holding tall glasses of iced tea. Our daughters were having a fabulous time doing what pre-teen girls do. Jumping on a trampoline, watching movies, or riding around on a bright red 4-wheeler in the field behind the house. In the middle of our chatting, my phone rang. It was my 12-year old daughter Olivia. Her panicked voice said: “Mom! We’ve flipped the 4-wheeler! Nobody’s dead but I’ve been hurt.” I repeated her declaration out loud and the two fathers jumped to their feet and were out the door before I could even finish asking Olivia some questions. My buddy Cindy and I were right behind them, looking for keys to the cars to get to the field where the girls were 4-wheeling. To our great relief, all three girls were conscious and appeared to be in good condition. Unfortunately though, Olivia had sustained a rather nasty gash to her shin. There wasn’t a great deal of blood but the cut was deep. Really, really deep. Her foot was also beginning to turn a variety of colors and was beginning to swell.
Adrenaline coursed through our bloodstreams and we were in full-on parent mode. Luckily, the 4 of us parents are pretty steady in a crisis and in no time, I was in the car with my lifelong friend Kendall, the dad of the other girls who happens to be a medical professional, heading to the ER. My husband gathered a few things we might need at the hospital and followed behind in our own car.
Olivia was in significant pain and was making statements like “I wish this hadn’t happened to me… we were having so much fun and then this happens!” “I want to go home!” We did our best to comfort her as we made the 20 minute long ride to the hospital. The ER triage staff sized us up and had us rolling off to a room in short order. There followed 15 minutes of x-rays of her lower leg which thankfully revealed no broken bones. Then they could deal with the gash on her shin. Olivia squeezed my hand with the strength of a mother giving birth while the nurse practitioner injected 2 dozen or so needle sticks of numbing agents into and around her wound before flushing it out with sterile saline. Nine stitches later, Olivia was in a much better frame-of-mind. As with most people, she prefers not to see the insides of her own body!
I ask you to forgive the gore of the previous paragraphs as they lend an important lesson in light of the topic of this book. It’s easy to say “lighten up” when you’re not in the midst of an emergency yourself. This statement would not have been a helpful thing to say to Olivia as she was struggling with her pain. Lighten up is something best saved for the weeks ahead, when she is upset about not fitting into her skinny jeans with stitches in her leg while wearing a boot. In the moment, when you’re feeling emotional or physical pain, anger, worry… the only way to find strength to make it through is to remind yourself that God is in control. In this case, I reassured Olivia with statements like “mama is here, you’re going to be ok… Jesus is here and He will help you… just say His name as I pray for you.”
Olivia’s first thought when she was hurt was to seek out her mother and father. She needed help physically and emotionally. The security she derives from being in our care enables her to express her wants and needs in a safe place. But, this security wouldn’t be possible if she didn’t trust us. This is also true in our relationship with our heavenly Father. Ask yourself a couple questions;
“Do you seek God for comfort when you’re hurting?”
“Do you trust God to comfort you?”
Comfort is an essential element bringing a “lightening” of our thoughts, heart and mind as we process our way through difficult situations in life. Finding comfort in Jesus is the first step in being able to “lighten up.” But how exactly do you tap into the comfort that is readily available from your Creator?
In order to receive comfort from our heavenly Father, we must first trust Him. But trust doesn’t just happen, it must be built through relationships. My daughter Olivia learned to trust me over years of nurturing including meeting her needs, holding her, praising her small victories like crawling, walking or learning how to brush her teeth. As she grew, so did our relationship and her trust in me grew deeper. We learn to trust God in the same way. Being deliberate with consistent, meaningful interaction with God is essential when learning to trust Him. I’m not talking about getting up at 4am and studying the Bible and praying for 3 hours, though that’s definitely not a bad idea, I’m talking about maintaining an awareness in the way you interact with the world, the way you approach life – always mindful that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are living and active in your life. Remember Apostle Paul’s words “pray without ceasing…” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. When I was a teenager, I remember thinking that dude must have looked crazy walking around Corinth or wherever mumbling prayers constantly. That’s probably not what he meant.
To get a better understanding of Paul’s words, let’s take a look at the entire verse:
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV
The term “mindfulness” is huge these days. It basically means to to pay attention in the moment. Perhaps this is what Paul was talking about in his writing. Throughout your day, pay attention to the Spirit of God in the moment. Quiet your mind and think about God’s goodness when you’re struggling. When you don’t get something you want, take a moment to count your blessings (yeah, I love that Bing crosby song from White Christmas). When you’re about to yell at your kid for getting homemade slime all over the carpet, ask yourself what would Jesus do in this moment? Taking a beat to check in with God, choosing not to act in the heat of the moment is the mark of a mature individual. There is great strength to be found in “praying without ceasing.”
To return to our experience that day with our daughter – Olivia was able to navigate this tough challenge because she sought us out in the midst of her trouble. She lives her life feeling safe, secure and significant because she is in a loving family who cares for her. When we are together, we talk about important stuff, silly things, watch movies, do chores and even argue. When we’re apart, she still maintains a lifeline to us through texting or a phone call, sharing her experiences wherever she is. Our relationship with God can be like this too. The Bible says that God loves us. We can KNOW and experience this love as we take time to be mindful of this fact throughout our day. We know He is ever-present, always available and active in our lives. We only have to quiet our minds and be conscious of Him. His goodness. His love. His protection. His care. Our Father God is a loving parent acutely aware of every detail of our lives and being. Living with this God-consciousness is the key to a healthy spiritual and physical life. You are His! “He will never leave you or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
Perhaps a different analogy might help you understand Paul’s words. Praying without ceasing is like playing worship music in the background while you’re at home or in your car. It keeps your mind and spirit conscious of your Creator, reminding you of His love. All you’ve got to do is plug in in whatever way works for you. I tape note cards of scriptures I love around the house. You might prefer playing worship music in the background like I talked about above.
Another thing you can do to stay mindful of God in your life is to make an effort to read the Bible each day, making the truth’s you find there your own. The Bible is literally your operating manual. It can be an immeasurable source of truth, comfort, wisdom and security. Take time for prayer and quiet moments throughout your day mindful that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are working for your good. I find neutral moments like sitting at a stoplight are a great time to check in with my Creator. I’ll utter a prayer like:
“Hey there Jesus! You’re so awesome and I thank You so much for this gorgeous day and for loving me! I pray You’ll show me something new about Yourself today so that I can learn more about you. Help me be patient with Bill and Olivia because I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. I so want to be like You and show your love to others I come across today. I want to hear you Lord and ask You to speak to my heart throughout the day. I love you so much!”
I like to think of Jesus through the Holy Spirit as a constant companion in my life. Another passenger in my car or a friend hanging out in my kitchen as I make dinner or wash dishes. It makes the whole interchange so much more personal. One of my favorite places to turn to Him every day is when I lay my head on my pillow at night. I’ll take a few moments and thank Him for a variety of things throughout the day… even the hard stuff. Like scripture tells us “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise…” Psalm 100:4. Thankfulness is the ninja skill in your spiritual life. When I’m down in the dumps or life has really dealt me an awful hand, thankfulness is a HUGE key in unlocking your heart, protecting it from bitterness and fear. Try starting your day with a simple prayer, something like the one I shared above. Just check in with God and then be quiet, still your soul and listen. God is ready and eager to give you your daily bread – a heaping helping of His love and acceptance. The bible says that when we are weak, He is strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10. His strength comes most often through our relationship with God.
Take time to feed this part of your being and you’ll have the resources necessary to trust God with your hurts. Still not convinced that you can trust your heart to your Father God? Here are some amazing scriptures about trusting God:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” Psalm 28:7
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” Matthew 6:25
“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
“He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.” Psalm 112:7
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Take a few moments an print out these scriptures. Memorize them and make them your own. They are God’s promises to you!
