Trusting God – Are You Trusting God: Part V
Scripture, God’s personal, powerful, purposeful self expression, cries out that God is trustworthy. You, believer, are a new creature in Christ (regeneration: John 3:3-8; 2 Cor. 5:17). Therefore you have the capacity to trust God. Believers learn to choose to trust God in every situation. You don’t need to respond in any situation or to any person with discouragement, sinful anger, worry, and or sinful fear. All of these reactions are the result of wrong thoughts and desires about God, yourself, and others. Rather, God is in heaven, and all is right with the world: (Eccl 5:1-3). How do you respond to this truth?
Believers often function as unbelievers. There are two basic responses to God and His control: reject it, either outright or via grumbling and complaining or embrace it. A person may grumble and complain because God’s sovereignty and His god purpose is not always apparent (Heb. 2:8-9). Another is the feeling or conclusion that “it doesn’t seem as if God is in control.” Another common reason verbalized or not stems from the conclusion that “it doesn’t seem that God’s control is good.” The person does not like or want things the way God has ordained “all things” of Romans 8:28-29. Another reason for grumbling and complaining stems from the belief that God owes the person a “good” explanation. These conclusions, and others, are based on judging God and His control subjectively via the person’s feelings, experience, and reasoning. Grumblers and complainers are “unhappy campers.” Control is the issue and more specifically, their lack of it. They compete with God and often express themselves by worry, sinful fear, sinful anger, and depression. Bad feelings run rampant, and too often, one’s proper vertical reference is suppressed. The problem is not things and other people but one’s response to God.
As a believer you have saving faith. You are now properly faith-based. You are a God-trusting person. How then do you prove faithful and trusting? Consider these activities.
Remind yourself daily that God is good, powerful, and purposeful. He is in control for His glory and your good. Next, recognize that there is a need for your faith to be pruned and you to grow in faithfulness (Romans 5:1-5; James 1:2-4,12; 1 Peter 1:6-7). God deserves the best. Unless you adopt this perspective you will be tempted to resist God’s providence as His tool for you to use for your growth in Christlikeness. You will be tempted to ask for a sign (like Peter in Matthew 14:22-33). You will be tempted to grumble and complain (Phil 2:14-17).
Exercise your faith – proving faithful – daily by applying biblical principles as a whole person (thoughts, desires, and actions) in any situation. Growing in faithfulness is not simply a duty but a blessing and a privilege. In terms of thoughts and desires, read, recite, and meditate upon God’s truth (Ps 119:9-11, 18). Carry on as you verbalize, memorize, and internalize that truth. Complete the exercise as you actualize – put it into practice – the non-negotiable truths regarding God’s Being and His promises. Your view of God and His control, of yourself, and of others will change as a result. When that happens you will not be self- focused but God and other-focused. Your goal and pleasure will be pleasing your God for His glory (Ps. 46:10)
Remember that you are whole person – thoughts, desires, and actions. In every situation (really God’s providence) you bring thoughts, desires, and actions. Growth in Christ means that each of these (your thoughts, your desires, your actions) must be in line with God’s truth that is appropriate for you at the moment. Here is an example. Your best friend has abandoned you for whatever reason. You remember that the situation is the context and not the cause of your whole-person response. Aware of this truth helps you evaluate yourself from God’s perspective and respond properly.
Application:
1. In regard to thinking, ask: how does God want you to think about this situation, the other person, yourself, and Him? Compare your thoughts with appropriate biblical truth.
2. In regard to desires, ask: what do I really want? Is it in line with what God desires for Himself and for me as His child?
3. In regard to action, ask: How should you act in order to a 2 Cor. 5:9 person?
4. Get busy applying these truths daily. Prove faithful in so-called ” little things” so you can look forward to being faithful in “big things.”