Trusting God Alone

 

With every new year there comes a need to make new resolutions, new plans, create new habits, goals, and the list goes on and on.  We often take our personal plans, ideals, and thoughts for granted and assume that they are good.  The problem we create is that we often forget to include God’s will in those.

Back in January, I started the new year with a new devotional, and I have really been challenged to keep God in the forefront of my day.  Throughout scripture, numerous times we are commanded to “Wait,” “Come,” “Rest,” “Trust,” etc.  We know most of those verses by heart.  In fact, many of us will use some of these verses as our “Life” verses, yet . . . we fail to truly understand the depths of their meaning.

The devotional I am reading this year again helps me read through the Bible in a year.  It is Everyday Gospel, by Paul David Tripp.  I’d just like to share a few of his insights that have really encouraged and challenged me.

• 1.      “We are often tempted to try by human effort to accomplish what only God can do . . . God will not turn from his promises even when we are unwilling to wait . . . his timing is always right . . . rest in the surety of the promises of the Lord.”
• 2.     “So much of our fear, discouragement, anxiety, and worry is the result of underestimating what God is willing and able to do . . . We are limited human beings . . . what appears to be completely impossible is quite possible with our Lord.  His strength, his understanding, his compassion, and his grace are infinite.”
• 3.     “There is nothing that God has promised to do or that we need him to do that he is unable to do.” (my favorite!)
• 4.     “God’s promises are not limited by human weakness or the passage of time.  Don’t give way to fear; God will do what he has promised to do.”
• 5.     “When life seems to make no sense, we are not without hope or help because we are the children of God.”
• 6.     “God’s covenant promises do not mean that our lives will be predictable, comfortable, easy, or trouble free.”
• 7.     “God will interrupt moments in our lives to recapture our hearts, to strengthen our faith, to bless us with his grace, and to instill in us, once again, our identity as his children.”

I could go on and on but wanted to share these encouraging words. Our year is still in the early stages, and we have already seen so much take place that might cause us to question what is happening in our world and with our church.  But we need to be constantly aware that the Creator who redeemed us and has promised us eternity with Him is in control.  We have nothing to fear but have so much to be thankful for.  All the insights above covered portions of the lives of Abraham and Jacob.  Look at the covenant God made with Abraham and carried it on through Jacob and the generations following.  There were moments in their lives when they could have questioned God’s plan and promise, but God revealed His fulfillment at just the right time.

It's been 5 years since we lost our facilities, “but God” is using this delay for His glory.  He has blessed our church in so many ways these past 5 years and although we have probably all wondered “why so long?” we can rest assured that God’s timing will be perfect.

Keep the faith in God’s plan, trust Him, and continue to wait patiently.

 

--Bonnie King