Trust to Luck or Trust in God?
Dear Friends,
Ever had one of those times when it seems that one thing after another goes wrong?
At the end of last year our heating broke down and we needed to call the plumber. Early on in this year Jason's car had a service as it had a major problem, we thought we had it all sorted when, in only a matter of days, another problem with the car surfaced so it needed fixing again and then last Sunday it broke down as Jason and my son, Josh were leaving church after the morning service. I couldn't believe it when Jason rang me to let me know what had happened and to ask me to come and pick them up as his car was going nowhere!
I was annoyed to have something else go wrong, especially when we had anticipated an enjoyable afternoon with friends. Like I said, it was one thing after another and I'd had enough! Where was God in all this? How could he let this happen? Didn't he know the affect it was having on us to cope with one problem after another? I was thoroughly fed up and discouraged. Jason, on the other hand, had a great attitude in it all, at least one of us did.
When the breakdown truck (finally!) arrived, the guy said to Jason more than once how lucky we were. If Jason had been driving at a fast speed when it happened, the back of the car could have broken right off causing a terrible accident. When I heard that, my perspective on it all changed. Not because I believe in luck, chance or fate or anything like that but because it made me realise that God really was in it all. He was watching over us, keeping us safe and protecting us from real harm. If God hadn't been with us I dread to think what could have happened.
He knows exactly what he is doing and he knows just how much trials and difficulties to allow into our lives. "For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently." 1 Corinthians 10:13 (AMP)
Sometimes, when we go through trials and difficulties it's hard to believe that God is with us, we feel he's deserted us, yet this experience reminded me that God is always there, that he is working behind the scenes, watching over us and protecting us. God oversees everything that is happening and he is in control. We may not know it as we don't always see what he is doing, we don't always realise it, but that doesn't change the truth of it and this brings me so much comfort. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 "17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." (NLT)
God is watching over us all the time, sometimes we can see him working in the situation and at other times when we don't see it, he is working in it just the same. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 121:3-5 "3 He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. 4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. 5 The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade." (NLT) These verses apply to us today as much as they did when they were written for the Israelites.
I'm glad God reminded me of these things recently, I just need to keep remembering them, especially when I'm faced with another difficulty or trial. I need to trust and believe in him, focusing my attention on him, rather than on what is happening around me. Psalm 20:7 "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, (or in cars or other things) but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." (NIV)
To Think About:
What does it mean to you to know that God is always watching over you?
Have you had experience of God working in your life behind the scenes?
Are you able to trust God in the midst of difficulties? What can help you to keep trusting in God?
Ever had one of those times when it seems that one thing after another goes wrong?
At the end of last year our heating broke down and we needed to call the plumber. Early on in this year Jason's car had a service as it had a major problem, we thought we had it all sorted when, in only a matter of days, another problem with the car surfaced so it needed fixing again and then last Sunday it broke down as Jason and my son, Josh were leaving church after the morning service. I couldn't believe it when Jason rang me to let me know what had happened and to ask me to come and pick them up as his car was going nowhere!
I was annoyed to have something else go wrong, especially when we had anticipated an enjoyable afternoon with friends. Like I said, it was one thing after another and I'd had enough! Where was God in all this? How could he let this happen? Didn't he know the affect it was having on us to cope with one problem after another? I was thoroughly fed up and discouraged. Jason, on the other hand, had a great attitude in it all, at least one of us did.
When the breakdown truck (finally!) arrived, the guy said to Jason more than once how lucky we were. If Jason had been driving at a fast speed when it happened, the back of the car could have broken right off causing a terrible accident. When I heard that, my perspective on it all changed. Not because I believe in luck, chance or fate or anything like that but because it made me realise that God really was in it all. He was watching over us, keeping us safe and protecting us from real harm. If God hadn't been with us I dread to think what could have happened.
He knows exactly what he is doing and he knows just how much trials and difficulties to allow into our lives. "For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently." 1 Corinthians 10:13 (AMP)
Sometimes, when we go through trials and difficulties it's hard to believe that God is with us, we feel he's deserted us, yet this experience reminded me that God is always there, that he is working behind the scenes, watching over us and protecting us. God oversees everything that is happening and he is in control. We may not know it as we don't always see what he is doing, we don't always realise it, but that doesn't change the truth of it and this brings me so much comfort. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 "17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." (NLT)
God is watching over us all the time, sometimes we can see him working in the situation and at other times when we don't see it, he is working in it just the same. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 121:3-5 "3 He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. 4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. 5 The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade." (NLT) These verses apply to us today as much as they did when they were written for the Israelites.
I'm glad God reminded me of these things recently, I just need to keep remembering them, especially when I'm faced with another difficulty or trial. I need to trust and believe in him, focusing my attention on him, rather than on what is happening around me. Psalm 20:7 "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, (or in cars or other things) but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." (NIV)
To Think About:
What does it mean to you to know that God is always watching over you?
Have you had experience of God working in your life behind the scenes?
Are you able to trust God in the midst of difficulties? What can help you to keep trusting in God?
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