“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and don’t lean on your own understanding” (Prov. 3:5). “Blessed are those who fear the Lord… They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.” (Ps.112:1,7)
Heavenly Father, you are 100% trustworthy, but sometimes I also wish one day a month you were about 35% programmable. Not really, but kind of so—because there are some things for which I’d love guarantees before I completely trust you with the outcome. Now that I see those words in front of my eyes, I take that back, Father. Though you don’t do all things easy, you always do all things well—a reality we’ll fully understand in the Life after this life.
So here are my choices—today, tomorrow, and in the next disappointment or crisis: #1 Resting in your faithfulness, grace, and love—knowing you’re at work in all things for my good as my sovereign, loving Father. #2 Vexing in my anxious, self-protective, “control-freak” ways—which only robs me and people I love.
Abba, I really want #1 of these two options. Leaning on the flimsy, duct-taped, straw-scaffolding of my “own understanding” never bodes well. You know the beginning, middle, and end of every disappointment, threat, and crisis. My perspective is skewed by my fear of more heart-hurt, selfishness, and personal agenda for life.
Whether it’s “bad news” we get—or the inconvenient disruptions, irritating changes, or painful circumstances that are a part of life in the “already and not yet,” give me and my praying friends a steadfast, trusting heart. In our most Gospel-sane moments, we would choose a Christ-present storm over a Christ-absent storm-free life. So Very Amen.
