"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him."
Trust....that is such a difficult concept for me to practice. Jeremiah reminds us that, without trust in God, we have no lasting basis for our confidence.
Good advice, that. However, hard to put into action.
On an earthly level, it seems logical and natural to put our trust in competent and talented people, such as our doctors and our financial advisors, especially if they prove their good track record in taking care of our physical and fiscal health.
And for those of us who are naturally talented (not me!), it is easy to put our trust in our own good education and hard work.
Now, it's not a bad thing to trust others, such as our medical practitioners and financial gurus to help us make wise decisions about our lives. It is also good to use the wisdom, education and skill that God has given us to make even more good choices in life. These decisions are usually things we can see, understand and analyze.
But, what about the things I can't see? When my car has broken down on the freeway, and I can't see where the money will come from to pay the mechanic, or when a loved one falls into dangerously poor health, or wanders far from the God he or she once knew, how do I trust the LORD in those circumstances when I can't see any reasonable solution or way out?
Okay...maybe those examples are a bit dramatic. Truth be told, the trust issues I wrestle with in my everyday life are more simple. Like trusting God to help me put one foot in front of the other and make it through my day when I feel depressed or sick.
Sometimes it means trusting God to give me those little things I need and maybe some that I just "want" in order to get through the week, such as a second chance, energy, a good attitude, an opportunity to meet new friends, peace of mind, an idea for what to cook for dinner, a solution to a nagging problem.....fill in the blank here with whatever "everyday" thing I need to trust God for.
Isn't it funny? I seem to be able to call up enough faith and trust for "big" things, such as, years ago, when I needed a new car and had no money. (Yes, the LORD provided for that, miraculously!)
But, to trust God to help me find those missing car keys or the whereabouts of my cat because it's time to give her her medicine....that's another story. I guess I tend to think that God is only interested in the biggies of life, not the mundane.
But wait. There is no mundane for God. He is supremely interested in all areas of our lives. Not because He's bored and has nothing better to do than to watch our banal lives. He loves us. All details of our lives, of US, are of importance to Him.
When the children of Israel complained to God about their troubles, how did He respond? He simply reminded them of His faithfulness and providence in the past. In other words, He reminded them of His track record in their lives.
Jeremiah 17 is a wonderful reminder of trusting God. I need to remember to trust in Him, period. I used to tell a good Christian friend of mine named Rhonda that I liked to sit back and watch "The God and Rhonda Show." God had proven His faithfulness in Rhonda's life so often that I have come to expect miracles in her life, and have been a witness to many of them.
It's time for me to watch "The God and Aya Show" now. That show will be just as miraculous. Same screenwriter, same producer, same director, same God.
Thanks, Jeremiah, for the reminder. Let the show begin.
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