You do not trust God until you have something for which to trust God, until there is a need you cannot meet, or strength you cannot muster. You do not really trust God until your great store of courage and larger supply of valor prove altogether insufficient and inadequate for the trial.
When this occurs (and it will), when this moment arrives, you will understand what Jesus called—“My peace.” It is a peace that is not of this world, peace that is not like this world. If the things you see around you cause you to rest from your struggles, if they cause you wait in patience—there—that is trust.
Trusting is to sleep below deck while above God wrestles with the storm. Trusting is waking to the oceans sway, hearing the thunder and thinking, “No storm is greater than the creator Himself.” Peace comes from trusting that in all things He is working on our behalf.
Trust is proven in the midst of the trial. It is birthed during the trial, and then is a comfort in the season of rest, a pillow for our head. Before the trial comes trust is simply a nice idea, a theory. It is a noble idea you might mention, and ideal you may pursue, but never know, never own.
When you must trust Him, when you MUST trust Him for life itself, then—there—that is trust.
But before things get that desperate, before our life is at stake, we musttake every small opportunity to trust Him NOW. While there is less to lose, we must exercise and tone our faith muscles, lest when life itself is at stake it should fail us—or be found lacking.
Isaiah 12:2, Luke 8:24, John 14:1, John 14:27, Romans 8:28
Wonderful insight. Loved the encouraging reflection! The need for working out that faith muscle allowing trust to become second nature.
Beautifully written. To go with your analogy, I’ve been stuck under deck so long, I’m beginning to wonder if I’ll ever get out. Your articles are inspiring and give me hope. Thank you.