Turn to God in Trust

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Ruth Chou Simons
What an absolute joy to be with you all this morning. If we haven’t met before, I am Ruth Jo Simons, and I am a mama to six young men, four of whom live at home, and that means, in case you’re wondering, it’s a lot of dirt, a lot of motor oil, and a lot of dishes, hashtag summer, so being with 9000 women is an absolute treat. I mean, you are my people, and I’m like just soaking it up. It’s so amazing to be with you all. I was so filled up yesterday, and I trust that you are just having such rich time in the word and in fellowship with one another. Well, we may be new friends, but turns out we have a friend in common, and it’s not Jen Courtney or Nancy, but I think you may know her. She’s got her life together, she’s carefree, unburdened, and confident. She’s purposeful, skilled, and using her gifts exactly the way she hopes she’s lost that 15 pounds she thinks she needs to lose, and oh, she’s unhurried, and somehow exactly where she wants to be, content and fulfilled. She’s carefree, pain free, conflict free, anxiety free. Imagine that she knows joy and fulfillment, happiness and satisfaction without the complications of heartaches and troubles, her name is the Good Life. You know her too, right? She’s a life you imagine exists on the other side of your current struggles and trials. What do you imagine is the Good Life? What comes to mind, and what does it entail? And how do you know when you’ve arrived? We may be tempted to think we’ll experience a settled kind of joy and peace once we find a new job, move to a different house, or when ministry life gets easier. Amen. Do you secretly imagine it to be the promises of God fulfilled and coming to fruition on the other side of your current tedious, hard, and not so wonderful circumstances. Does the image that comes to mind include financial stability, really good friends to do life with, children who obey right away, a house that stays kept and clean, and all the pillows karate chopped perfectly, and succeeding at all you put your hands to. Does it look like a husband who remembers what is most important to you, or work that feels meaningful, or good health, no joint pain, relational peace with your extended family, or an inexhaustible budget for sushi. Yes, all those things sound like the good life to me as well. For so long I had a similar view in mind when I thought about experiencing the good life, and I want to tell you, I’ll be honest, it certainly didn’t include the circumstances I personally experienced this past spring, loose screws in my son’s spine placed there to begin with. After a traumatic mountain biking accident two years ago, they were now breaching the spinal canal. You know what that is? The spinal cords inside, you don’t want screws breaching the spinal canal and causing a spinal fluid leak. And now it required yet another surgery that we didn’t expect to have this spring a pancreatic cancer diagnosis with my mom, a mom I have a complicated relationship with, unexpected losses in my company, brokenness in some long time relationships, a marriage and family in our church community devastated by sin, all while simultaneously working to steward a season of celebration and change with all six of our sons, but especially with our fourth, who is graduating from high school, something worthy of celebrating, and our oldest son’s marriage to our new daughter-in-law, which just happened two weeks ago. This was all happening at the same time. It has been a challenging and difficult first half of 2026 Perhaps you’re here, and you’ve been walking through a troubling season as well. Perhaps you’re like me, tempted to believe your greatest joy and good lie just beyond this tough season. You may even find yourself numbing out, picking up your phone, thinking that you’re just going to kind of focus on some lesser things to get through your unwanted trials and circumstances, but I have a question for you. What if the joy and unshakable confidence we were meant to know and experience is a result of trusting God amidst our circumstances, not on the other side of them?

Ruth Chou Simons
You see, what we’re all longing for is joy, contentment, and purpose on this journey of life. The problem isn’t that those desires are wrong, no, they’re really good, God-given desires. The problem is that in our natural, sinful disposition, we mistake ease and comfort for joy and security. We turn to control and try to shape our circumstances. As means of the good life, instead of turning to God, the source and sustainer of all good, all joy, all security, and is himself the true good life we’re longing for. So I invite you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 16, that’s where we’re going to be this morning, but as we’re getting there, I want to share a quick word about the psalm. This is a psalm of David. It’s described as a mictum set to be a poem or an intimate prayer written in times of danger or distress or a bunch of unwanted circumstances. It was likely written in the decade in which David was fleeing Saul in the desert, fearing for his life, and as we’ll see today, Psalm 16 is a picture of David turning to God in the midst of the most difficult circumstances, and finding lasting joy and confidence in spite of all that he wouldn’t choose for himself. I am guessing that some of us are in this room in circumstances that we would not choose for ourselves. David actively turns his eyes to God. He forces himself to look, to remember, to believe, and to trust God. David speaks of good inheritance, his portion, pleasures, security, and joy. Sounds like the good life, right? But as we will discover today, he’s speaking of riches and treasure unlike anything the world has to offer. He’s speaking about God. So join me as we read this passage this morning. It’s Psalm 16. I say to the Lord, You are my Lord. I have no good apart from you. As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight. The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply, their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips. The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup. You hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places. Indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. I bless the Lord, who gives me counsel in the night. Also, my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand. I shall not be shaken, therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices. My flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life. In your presence there is joy. At your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Are you thinking the same thing I’m thinking? How could David possess such joy, confidence, assurance, and satisfaction, even in the midst of fearful, chaotic, and seemingly unfair circumstances? What we will see today is this, and I want you to think about this. I’m going to repeat it a few times throughout this morning, but the extent to which we experience fulfillment and joy in our lives, even in difficulties, is directly connected to our readiness to turn to God in trust, regardless of the circumstances, let me say that again. The extent to which we will experience fulfillment and joy in our lives, even in difficulties, is directly connected to our readiness to turn to God in trust. Regardless of the circumstances, you see, friend, your trust will be in something that’s a non-negotiable. It’ll be other, either in yourself, your resources, systems, other people, you have to choose to turn to God in order to trust Him, because your default will always be to trust in what you can control, what you can understand, your own hustle, strategy, networking, and resourcefulness. What hope when we find that the correlation between joy and trust is meant to be found in Him. So I’ll say it again, the extent to which we experience fulfillment and joy in our lives, even in difficulties, is directly connected to our readiness to trust, to turn to God in trust, regardless of the circumstances.

Ruth Chou Simons
This morning, we will consider three steps David takes to turn to God in trust, and how we too can follow his pattern and know for ourselves unshakable, everlasting joy and satisfaction, regardless of what we’re going through. We’re going to see, and I’m going to give it to you all up front, so you can track with me. We’re going to see that David does three things as he turns to God in trust. The first thing we’re going to see is that he acknowledges his struggle and need. The second thing we’re going to see is that he rehearses the truth. The third thing we’re going to see is that he tells himself what to do. So let’s look at these three steps together. First, we see. David acknowledges his struggle and his need. Remember, though, promised the kingdom, and though he believed he’d eventually possess all that God had assigned to him, David was now wandering in the wilderness in fear of his life, distressed in the midst of a story that was not yet what he hoped it would be. At first glance, I think most of us would be like, is this really relatable? I mean, I don’t know the last time one of us fled to the desert because things weren’t going our way. I mean, that didn’t happen last week, you know. But we do understand fear, distress, anxiety in the unknowns and unfair circumstances of our lives. Right off the bat, I want us to notice that David is honest before the Lord, confessing his need, pleading for provision, his heart posture is humility and surrender. You see, the first step in turning to God and trust, if we want to learn how to turn to God and trust, is to begin with the right assessment of our true need and condition. He says, “Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. Well, it’s a plea of desperation and acknowledgement that the safety, security, satisfaction of his life can’t be found in his own strength or savvy. He needs to turn to God, and so do we. Do you need to be honest and acknowledge your need today? What have you been holding on to, trusting yourself instead of God? This might be a perfect time to get really honest about that, as we start. Well, secondly, after David acknowledges his need, he then turns to God by rehearsing the truth of who God is and what He’s done. Do you see what David does here? He starts recounting what he knows is true about who God is and what He’s done for him. David is known to remind himself, I’m sure you’ve seen it throughout the Psalms, but why does he do so, especially in times of trouble? Well, isn’t it because he, like us, is so easy to forget? You see, rehearsing the truth of God’s character and what He’s done for us is how we turn our eyes to Him. Have you ever rehearsed the truth to yourself in the middle of the night when your mind is spiraling when you’re doing dishes and you’re overwhelmed by everything you have to do when you’re stuck in traffic anxious about the rest of your day. Well, these come straight out of my own playbook and I have a lot of experience with this. Why do I preach truth to my own heart and rehearse the truths of who God is? Well, it’s to remind myself to hear myself say true things, and as I’ve done this, my eyes have turned and trust has increased over and over in time. It’s just as the prophet Jeremiah does in Lamentations 321 through 23 when he addresses his soul in his affliction and distress. We love this verse, but this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope. And in your Bible, there’s probably a colon right after the word hope, that means what comes next is what he’s calling to mind, and reminding himself the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. Could you imagine if every time you were struggling and spiraling out of control, you call that to mind and place and posit hope inside of yourself.

Ruth Chou Simons
Jeremiah reminds himself and realigns his heart and mind to the truth of who God is, not the way he feels in times of trouble and distress. Well, then what are the truths David rehearses about God? Because he’s not just telling himself some fun stories, he’s telling himself truths about who God is and what he’s done. Let’s look at these together as we turn to Psalm 16. And ladies, I want you to know that if you forget everything I say this morning, these five truths we’re about to rehearse to ourselves. This is what I want you to remember, because when you’re going through a hard time, when the joy of this conference is over, and you’re driving back home, and you’ve got a pile of laundry to deal with, and a full inbox, you will need to remember who God is and what He’s done for you. So, just for fun, and to keep you on your toes, because we’re going to do these five. I’m going to give you the first letter of each of these fives, and I’m not going to tell you what they are yet. Okay, we’re going to play a little game, so if you’re taking notes, jot these down: R G P S and J, Brownie points if you can guess what they are. But anyway, R G P S J. The first truth David rehearses to himself is that God is our what refuge, refuge, a fortress, a shield, a shelter. David has used many words throughout the Psalms to describe how God has been a refuge for him. To take refuge is to surrender in need, to run for cover. Right, we understand that in a turbulent storm one seeks shelter. To stay out in the elements, going about your merry way is to imagine yourself invincible, or to have a faulty assessment of the danger you’re in. We know better than to delay in seeking safety in shelter when a hurricane or tornado is on its way, David. Begins with the plea, declaring his need, ‘Preserve me, O God, for in you I take, I take refuge. And in his distress, he speaks a sacred prayer of declaration, that’s a declaration that God is his refuge, a refrain. He speaks repeatedly through the Psalms, rehearsing the truth of God’s character, preaching it to himself, and realigning his heart, do you see what he does? He says, “This is the truth. I’m going to realign my heart to what is true. Do you sisters turn to God when you need a refuge, or are you turning elsewhere for protection today? It’s a really valid question, maybe a good thing to assess the second truth that David preaches to himself and rehearses is that God is our good, that’s the G. In the same way we might assess the good life, we tend to measure goodness, or what we define as truly good, by our own standards. And yet, the definition of good literally begins in the garden, as we read in Genesis 131 And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good. God doesn’t just cause good things to happen. He is our good. I think that’s what David is reminding himself here. I have no good apart from you. In verses three and four, David then declares how God provides other believers as a source of delight and good and encouragement, in contrast to chasing idols. He says the sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply. You see, David is reminding himself what he needs to hear, and that is pursuing God’s people will fortify your joy, but chasing those who worship themselves and other gods, well, that will increase your troubles. Do you see that? Do you find delight in God’s people? Look around you, maybe you’ve made a new friend, and you’re sitting with those who came with you, or somebody new you’ve met, but those to your left and right, these are the people who are going to encourage you when you can’t remember the truth, who are going to rehearse that and preach it to you as you preach it to yourself. Do you avail yourself of the godly counsel and community God’s given you. The third truth that David preaches and rehearses to himself is that God is our provider.

Ruth Chou Simons
The Lord is my chosen, the Lord is my chosen portion in my cup. You hold my lot, he writes. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places. Indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. The Lord is my chosen portion and cup. In the Bible, we both words carry rich, significant meaning. Portion is often used in speaking of someone’s share or inheritance. I’m sure you’ve seen that before. Land in the Old Testament times was often used to designate social and financial standing. It represented a family’s wealth, security, reputation, and some got more than others. Some land was better for farming than others. And David lived in a desert, but David is declaring to himself that no matter what he has or doesn’t have, God is enough. God’s provisions are enough, no more, no less. What God provides is what He’s been assigned. That’s what He’s saying, a settled contentment, deep assurance in the Lord, treasure found in Him. That’s what we see in David, as he reminds himself what God provides. Do you see how, as Courtney was talking about gratitude, gratitude grows as we declare what God’s already provided, how He’s already been faithful. David expresses the truth. We all would be blessed to remember, whatever God ordains is His very best for me, in His goodness, in His sovereignty He provides everything I need. And then there’s the picture of the cup in Scripture. It has been used as a metaphor for both suffering and blessing. Have you recognized that? Remember Jesus in anguish in the garden, asking the Father if it be His will to take this cup of suffering from him, or then in Psalm 23 when David writes, ‘You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows. Either way, it’s a picture of submission to what God provides and what He places in our hands to steward. That’s what that means. When David rehearses the truth that the Lord is his chosen portion and cup. He’s declaring that what God has given in his hands to steward is enough. He doesn’t need to ask for more right now. He doesn’t need to take on more. That his treasure is God himself, along with the inheritance that comes with being found in him. It’s enough for him. So, so far, David’s been preaching and rehearsing that God is our refuge, He is our good, He is our provider. And now the fourth truth that David preaches to himself is that God is our security. Look with me in verses nine and 10. This psalm starts with a plea for preservation and safety, but it is more than physical safety that David ultimately. Points to some translations use the word rests in place of dwells, here both give the connotation of security and safety. There’s not a fight or flight response here, but a deep abiding security akin to someone coming home from a long trip, getting into their comfy sweats, curling up on the couch, pulling that blanket up, drinking that tea, and getting really, really cozy. Think about that. Home at rest, secure and at peace. Think about that. Dwelling, dwelling, the promise isn’t that the circumstances will suddenly let up or that the winds won’t howl outside. No, it’s that we are invited into the shelter of God’s dwelling and care. David refers to his security of his soul and the preservation of the Holy One. David is reminding himself that there’s no safer place to be than securely trusting God. And finally, the fifth truth David preaches to himself about God is that God is our J guess got it joy right. What is the conclusion of David’s preaching to his own heart in all this trouble and all this pain? It’s this, that his greatest joy and happiness is found in the Lord alone, why do you think verse 11 is so popular, easily found on T-shirts, mugs, prints, hashtag grace lace? Isn’t it because in our deepest longings we want to know the best path for our lives and to experience the greatest joy and happiness we can? Those aren’t wrong desires, we were wired that way. Pleasures forevermore, and fullness of joy are what we were made for. They just weren’t meant to be found in things the world has to offer, and anything short of God himself, money, sex, marriage, children, career, ministry, food, and friends.

Ruth Chou Simons
They bring joy and they bring pleasure, but they are not the ultimate source, nor can they truly satisfy. It says C.S. Lewis famously writes in The Weight of Glory. He writes, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition. When infinite joy is offered us like an ignorant child who wants to go and on making mud pies in a slum, because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at sea. We are far too easily pleased. Infinite joy pleasures forevermore are found in the presence of God, and by His side. Do you think David lived this conviction out perfectly? Is this a man who was unwavering in his satisfaction in God alone? Well, we know the story, we know this is his life, and we know that he wrestled with aligning his actions with his heart for God’s purposes and ways, you see, reminding yourself of the truth of who God is must be so regularly in our practice, you know the word practice to do it over and over again, and at the forefront of our hearts and minds that we default to the truth when our circumstances and even our own hearts threaten to derail us. What thoughts and actions are you practicing over and over and over again? You can kind of track that by seeing what you default to the most. When something really hard happens in your life, what are you defaulting to the most? Are you picking up your phone? Are you calling a friend? Are you despairing? Are you shopping? Are you eating? Are you running away? What is it that you’re going to may we practice and default to rehearsing the truth of who God is and what He’s done. So, let’s do it together. David has rehearsed to himself that God is our refuge, God is our good, God is our provider, God is our security, and God is our joy. So, back to David’s three steps in turning to God in trust. Not only does David first acknowledge his need and struggle, right? We’ve already seen that, and then secondly he rehearses the truth of who God is, preaching it to himself. Finally, that third step is that he tells himself what to do. We see here in verses seven and eight of Psalm 16, that David declares what he will choose to do. He says in verses seven and eight, I bless the Lord who gives me counsel. I have set the Lord always before me. You see, in response to remembering all the ways that God is worthy of turning to turning to entrust, David now makes a choice and says, I will praise the Lord. I will put God first in my life. David has made a decision and a choice. He will praise God with his lips, and he will put God first in his life. And the truth is, God is already on the throne. He is already preeminent. There’s no moving God. To his rightful position, but when David says, “I have set the Lord always before me, he is essentially saying, “I will choose to set my gaze on the Lord, who’s already there, seek Him above all else, and choose to focus on Him instead of my troubles. That’s what David is saying. He’s saying, “In light of all my need, and in light of all the truths that are true about God, and what He’s done, I’m going to choose to set my gaze on Him, to turn my eyes to Him. We often see David instruct his own heart and tell himself what to do. You remember in Psalm 42 he says, “Why are you downcast, O my soul? He’s talking right to his own soul. Put your hope in God. He was bossing himself. I’m guessing most of us don’t walk around talking to ourselves. Ruth, go grab the keys and get yourself to the grocery store. Ruth, you should wear red lipstick today, your face is looking a little drab. Or Ruth, stop overthinking, just make a decision. Okay. Well, that one I actually do out loud all the time. Anyone else talking to myself in the car, telling myself to quit it? But perhaps we should talk to ourselves more, especially when it comes to instructing our own hearts.

Ruth Chou Simons
I don’t know about you, but I could use a little bit more of Ruth. Put your hope in God. Anyone else? There’s something else I want you to notice. Here, we play an active part in this. You see, we don’t accidentally fall into believing and responding rightly. That’s not going to happen by osmosis. We’re not going to accidentally trust God more. We must willfully choose to realign our hearts, our minds, and our actions. We have to plan for it. We have to practice it. David shows the progression, remember, he acknowledges his own need, he rehearses the truth, he tells himself what to do, and in verse nine he uses the word therefore, everything before verse nine is what he’s rehearsing and choosing to do, and now he declares the benefits of turning to God in trust, therefore my heart is glad and my whole being rejoices, my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures forevermore. You see that the benefits of remembering the truth and choosing God in the midst of our troubles, is that we have a glad heart, we have security, confidence, a purposeful path, fullness of joy. Okay, but friends, when we read the psalm, maybe you’ve already caught it, maybe you’re catching it right now. Who do we see here? We see Jesus, we hear his voice, we recognize these words as the vantage point of the only one who ever truly knew the Father’s trustworthiness and set the example for how to trust God, and in all his earthly distress. You see, this isn’t just any psalm, this is the psalm quoted in one of the very first sermons ever preached by Peter at Pentecost, so keep your place in here in Psalm 16, but turn over really quickly to Acts two with me, Acts 223 through 28 You see, with an inspired understanding of this text in connection with what Christ accomplished on the cross. This is what Peter preaches. Join me in verse 23 This Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God. You crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, losing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. Catch this, for David says concerning him, I saw the Lord always before me, for He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore, my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. My flesh also will dwell in hope, for you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your holy one see corruption. You have made known to me the path of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence. Did you catch that? This path to fullness of joy and satisfaction in life is ultimately a path of trusting Jesus. Jesus, who had for all eternity, think about that. All eternity known fullness of joy in the presence of God, His Father, came to sinful man, so that through redemption we might have access to God’s presence, and therefore fullness of joy forever. Friends, the invitation for us today isn’t to simply turn to turn away from earthly and worthless substitutes in this life, but it is instead to turn to Jesus. Whatever you think will fix your troubles, whatever promises to soothe the ache within, whatever you think will give you the good. Life, friends, Jesus is better. It’s always been about Jesus. It’s only Jesus. We may seem ’tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, but why is it so sweet? And how do we know we can trust him? Well, let me tell you why. We have the testimony of His word, we have He has never failed to keep any of His promises. What He says He will do, He does. He cannot lie, He cannot fail. He is unchanging. He is good. He knows all things, and He is all powerful. All His attributes work in unison, and we read all about them, and we know them to be true.

Ruth Chou Simons
And let me remind you, how his trustworthiness is on display in Psalm 16, as we turn our eyes to Jesus, because friends, remember our letters earlier, R G P S J, Jesus is our true refuge. You know what that means. That means He’s the only place we can turn where sin’s effects are taken away. Jesus doesn’t just shelter us from sin, separation, and endless striving. He provides safety, covering from its effects by paying the penalty Himself. Number two, Jesus. Jesus is our true good. That means He made us for Himself, and as the standard for good, the more we hide ourselves in Him, the more we experience good and the good life as we were meant to in Christ. Jesus is our true provider, that means He is both the provision and the one who provides it. He gives us everything we need for life and godliness. We know which begins with Himself, our portion, our cup, our boundary lines are all in line with the inheritance He’s promised us, promised us the greatest treasure of himself, and fourthly, Jesus is our true security. That means, because he is unchanging and has been given all authority, he not only holds all things together, Colossians 117 right? He is our assurance and unshakable confidence, and finally, Jesus. Jesus is our true joy. That means our greatest satisfaction is found in the presence of God. Because of Jesus, we have access to His presence. We’re not cast off, we’re not far away, not just in eternity, but now through Christ, our joy can be full at this very moment, because we walk with Him, even now on this side of eternity. Don’t miss this, friends. Hear me say this clearly. The blessings and benefits of a life set on Christ are yours and mine today, because of Jesus, right in the midst of our disappointment, chaos, and unknowns. You see, it was September 2024 when my third son, Judah, third weekend freshman year of college out of state, went over his handlebars on a mountain bike and landed on his head, requiring him, requiring him to be air lifted out of the desert to the first trauma unit, and then sent to another one who could handle this level of trauma. He crushed and twisted multiple vertebrae, and it required emergency spine surgery, in which really long rods and screws – I’ve now seen them – were placed in his back, hoping that somehow he would have a life that included mobility, walking, and upright spine. It was a risky surgery in a lot of ways. We’re touching, getting close to a lot of nerves. His pedicles were small, they were struggling. His traumatic accident meant disappointment for his freshman year, inability to do the activities he’s used to, ongoing chronic pain, and a forever changed physical frame at 19 years old. When I finally I flew in, and I got to be with him, and I was so grateful and so glad he was alive, but I was nonetheless devastated moments before he was transported to the operating room, I had held it together pretty greatly at that point. I was thinking I was doing a pretty good job, but moments before the operating room, I held his hand, and I just.. it just all came crashing down. If you’re a mama, you know I was like, “Hey, I would do anything to take your place. I’m a mom, you know. I was scared. I didn’t want the set of circumstances. I wanted a different future for him. I was not in control, and I couldn’t be. I knew it, and I tried to hide my tears. I was trying to be so brave, and I held his hand, and Judith. Something really, really special. I don’t know if it was the mess, but he was really calm, and he was like, he gripped my hand, and he said to me these words, “Mama, I know it’s scary, but don’t be afraid, God is in control, we can trust Him. Friends, in a quick, heartfelt moment before this really risky spine surgery, Judah unwittingly followed the example of David in Psalm 16. Did you hear it? He acknowledged our need and our struggle. He rehearsed and realigned our hearts with the truth, and then he told our hearts what to do, Mama. I know it’s scary, but don’t be afraid. God is in control.

Ruth Chou Simons
We can trust Him. It’s that simple, friends. And that entire season has grown our peace and joy as a family in the midst of all of it. We didn’t have to get to the other side of it to know that peace and that joy, Judah would go on to struggle with pain and physical issues for the following year and a half, which brings us to the spring that I just told you about, when to our amazement the Lord brought healing and the opportunity to remove those screws and rods because they were just too dangerous to be in there, and then that we’re failing in his back, and so those were removed, and he’s doing so well after so many unknowns. We appear to be on a road to real healing and recovery. Praise God. But I ask you once again, in light of all this, what if the joy and unshakable confidence we are meant to know and experience is a result of trusting God in the middle amidst our circumstances, not on the other side of them. There’s no reason to be fearful when we remember who God is and what He’s done. His qualifications prove him trustworthy. Friends, our trust problem is a belief problem. We can either trust in ourselves or trust wholly in the refuge of our God. That’s what David is ultimately saying here, but because we so quickly forget, we must be anchored to the truth. Behold, the Bible is a record of God’s greatness and merciful love toward us, his creation. It tells of God’s faithfulness, his follow-through, his provision, and his unthwarted plans. He’s made known to us the path of life. And spoiler alert, it’s in and through him alone. So I’ll say it again, the extent to which we experience fulfillment and joy in our lives, even in difficulties, is directly connected to our readiness to turn to God in trust, regardless of the circumstance. So, friends, I plead with you, turn to God in trust. Turn your eyes to Jesus. Set your heart and mind on everything that makes Him trustworthy. Rehearse that all day long. Make it your default. Practice it so much that you really just default to that. Whenever things get tough, He offers His presence, His joy, and all that your heart longs for, right now, right now, even now, right where you are. And, friend, I know it’s scary, but don’t be afraid. God is in control. We can trust Him. Amen. Let’s pray. Lord Jesus, you alone are worthy of our trust. We turn our eyes to you. Teach us to turn from what will fail us and fail to satisfy. And may we, like David, know what it is to turn fully to you and trust, and in doing so, find the fullness, all satisfying joy of being in your presence. Let us believe and trust you for the path of life, the one you’ve mapped out for us, and in you, with you, and for your glory, may we follow you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.