Trusting God 021214

Trusting God  021214

"What are your cares, but the turmoiling of your thoughts?  Richard Baxter, A Christian Directory

Baxter offers that we may and should control our thoughts when we are in distress, even despair and he wisely and kindly adds that we should,

"Cast away the thoughts, and cares are gone.  You may do this if you will, though it be difficult."

Our thoughts begin in our hearts.  This is the source of all good and evil that we think, feel, say or do.  It is in the heart that despair begins and it begins with our lack of trust in God.  Yes, we all have a lack of trust in God.  We may only see it when we are under some affliction but it is always there.

Many, when things are going well may think or even boast that they are trusting God and I am sure that so some extent they do.  But take away those things that give them comfort and security and the flaw is exposed.  Doubt is a part of our suffereing here and we must accept that there are places where we doubt.

But we need not wait until we are under His correcting hand to begin to address this lack of trust.  We may, through a sincere and diligent examination of our hearts discover this vein of distrust and appreciate the power of it to cause us to stumble.

If you are under some affliction and struggling with your trust in God the only solution is - well - to trust God for your lack of trust.  As the man cried our to Jesus, "Help my unbelief!" we too must be bold about our trust struggle and go to the only source of strength we have.

Scripture abounds with admonitions, promises and prayers for trust in God.  It abounds with demonstrations of His faithfulness and lovingkindness.  Even your life in HIm, if you will but sit and reflect, holds testimony to His faithfulness.

But those pesky fearful thoughts persist.  Not only that, but Satan and the world will encourage and heighten them until they scream so loud they almost drown out everything else.  But we are able to control our thoughts and by the Holy Spirit we are able to strengthen and heal our weak hearts.

Isaiah 26:3 ESV
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Notice something very important in this verse.  It is not "I" who keep me in peace but God who does it.  But I must fix my mind upon Him.  I must do two thing I think.  First I must really pray.  I use the word "really" becasue in matters of trust we can't be hedging or playing.  We must come honestly and openly to Him with our distrust confessing it and crying our for a greater trust in Him.  Where we do not trust Him, we sin and as with any other sin it must be confessed and repented of - wholy and truthfully.

Second - I must fill my mind and hence my heart with those Words of God that call me and encourage me to trust in Him.  I must take the plain truth of His lovingkindness to heart and hold it there tightly.  I know of no better way than to search out those sciptures that speak to the issue of trust and to read them (in not memorizing them) over and over until they permiate my mind and touch my heart.

Trust, even trust in our God does not come easy but it comes.