Trust

“Don’t be anxious.” “Don’t concern yourself.” “Don’t worry.” It’s easier said than done. If a child is playing in the park on the swings, then when we look again and he’s gone, how can we not be anxious? A dear loved one may be seriously ill and appear to be on the point of death. Would we not worry? Maybe our weekly expenses are greater than our income, and we don’t know what to do.

The Bible says, “Don’t worry”. Well, I do know of situations when money has appeared at just the right moment, or someone has been miraculously healed by God, or a missing child has turned up unharmed. But these things don’t always happen.  Don’t worry? This often seems difficult.

The Bible says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). I believe if we’re trusting the Lord with all our heart, then there’s no room for anxiety. Our heart is filled with trust. We don’t have to work it all out. But we need to pray, bringing the situation to God through Jesus Christ, and presenting it to Him in an attitude of thanksgiving, without worry or anxiety.

Worry is banished by faith. We invite God into the situation with thanksgiving as we look to Him. This may not be knowing He will give us what we want or need, but being assured that He knows our every need and that He loves us. We must acknowledge and respond to this love. It’s a bond stronger than fear. Our predicament is taken over by His love. He knows our every need, and He cares. Under His guidance we can take steps to resolve the situation.

He might tell us to wait, or to go, or to see things from His perspective, because His ways are not our ways. Eternity is in His hands. We look at the immediate time frame in our own human fragility. But He sees the end from the beginning.

His peace will begin to come over us. No longer will we see the world through our own eyes like a blinkered horse that can only see straight ahead. We will see Jesus, who endured death and hell out of His love for us. And we can rest in His peace. By all means we must do all we can to resolve the situation, but He must be our guide. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purposes” (Rom 8:28). Trust Him.

No amount of fear or worry can resolve our situation. ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path’ (Proverbs 3:5,6). God knows the way. We must trust Him.

‘And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:7).