Trust in the Lord

I don’t have fear in me right now, I am not worried. But, I am also not naive. I see the darkness that is covering our world. My heart is breaking for the people in Afghanistan, in Haiti, in our own backyards. I am questioning why the media finds it more important to cover the debate on masks in our schools rather than the heartbreak that Haiti is going through yet again. And then I think to myself, there are so many things in this world that I don’t understand, that I never will. And the darkness could easily turn anyone, even myself from God. I have learned that God does not cause these circumstances or bring pain to His people, but He does work His goodness through them. He also is with us every step of the way…take Psalm 91:1-2 for the truth in this:

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.

I heard two songs on the radio yesterday, almost in perfect timing for this sense of sadness I feel and sense of “What can I do?” The first was Lauren Daigle, Hold On To Me. In every season of life, I keep calling out to God to hold on to me. When I fail to meet expectations, when I forget that God is who I should turn to, when the darkness seeps in, when there is chaos and brokenness, when I succeed, when I reach my goals, when I am living in the light of Jesus, and when I don’t know where to go next…God is there. God is holding on to me. And He is holding on to all of us, allowing us all to rest in His presence and love.

The second song was New Today, by Micah Tyler. And in this season of life, in the darkness I see around me, this song reminds me that no matter what happens in the day, no matter what happened yesterday or what will happen tomorrow, God’s mercies are new, again and again. I get a fresh start each and every day, and so do you. NOT by what you have done or left undone, but by God’s unending grace.

And as we face more pain, lies, and darkness it is more important than ever to keep our eyes on that grace that God gives us each day, on God himself. On His love, His mercy, and His goodness. I started a new devotional yesterday, graclaced, by Ruth Chou Simons. The Bible verse at the beginning of today’s devotion was this:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3: 5-6

These two verses in Proverbs, they run deep in my family. There is pain and brokenness that we have lived through as these verses provided purpose, even in the darkness. and the constant reminder that my understanding, it is not enough. It is humbling to fully acknowledge my weaknesses and peace bringing to trust in the Lord with my whole life.

Not only is our world walking through darkness, but so are many of us are as individuals. In these season of life, it is easy to ask, “Why God?” But, we shouldn’t be asking that question, God doesn’t cause the pain we have. We should instead be asking ourselves honestly and full-heartedly, “Where do I put my confidence, my trust?” Or rather, “Who do I put my trust in?” My answer, God. Because He has a plan. He is working all things for the goodness of His plan, His everlasting kingdom. In the Old Testament, God led His people into the desert for 40 years, not to punish them, but to break them down. He did this so that they might understand their brokenness and the fullness of His provisions, love, and mercy. So that they may fully surrender themselves, humbly admit their failures, and seek God, trust God above all else.

Maybe God is using this division, this broken season in the world, in our own lives, to break us down too. To humble our hearts. To admit our flaws and weaknesses. To end our power and acknowledge His. Because it is God’s wisdom, His goodness that will bring unity. And when we put our trust in Him, we are under His love and we will not be forsaken.

Those who know your name trust in you, for you Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10

No matter what you believe, or where you find your faith and hope in life, I believe that there is goodness in all of us. I believe that we can all love each other more, show more kindness and understanding. I believe that this world has a whole lot of good and hope in it. But, to put it bluntly, I also believe that without Jesus at the center of each of our lives, we will never reach unity, not on this earth. It is a harsh reality, but there is also hope in it because of what Jesus did on the cross, because that was not the end, but the beginning of the unity we are all striving for, of the light and love we all want. And I think Paul said it best:

Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Ephesians 4: 12-13

And on that note, I will leave you with this…Who do you put your trust in? What are you doing to be over service to others, to love others?

With love and blessings,