When Trust Is Blind And God Is Faithful
Sometimes God asks us to surrender something or someone that means the world to us. Sometimes He challenges the idols of our hearts. The counterfeit Gods. Those things in our lives that keep us furthest from Him instead of drawing us closer to Him. Sometimes they are not bad things in and of themselves. Sometimes they are in fact good things. But the very fact that they have taken the place of God in our lives makes them bad for us in that time. Sometimes it’s not easy to respond in trust. To truly listen to what we know God is speaking to us because the solidarity of that person or thing in that moment gives us a sense of security…or safety…. Or perhaps because that person or thing is incredibly valuable to us. We love it/him/her. We can’t imagine our life any other way. And so we keep holding tight. We ask ourselves, “If I give it up…what will happen?” “If I walk away there are too many unknowns.” We wonder why God would ask us to surrender when it doesn’t fully make sense in the moment. Yet, His only answer is, “Trust me”.
And finally that moment comes. That moment when we realize we’ve waited too long. We’ve held on too tightly. We’ve not trusted God with the outcome. That moment when we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that today is the day that God is calling us to not put it off any longer, to loosen our grip, to trust Him. And through it, through the process of surrender…and trust…and ultimate love for our Savior we find more freedom than we’ve ever known. Instead of finding fear, loneliness and pain, we find joy, love and ultimate freedom. And we realize that God was right all along. That His plan is beautiful. And that though the walk of trust is never easy, it is worth it.
My prayer for anyone reading this who is struggling with a big decision in front of them or who simply struggles with trust in God is that you would respond in faith. Not the christianize type of faith that has just been a mere good sounding word your whole life. But the real, life altering, hard, gut-wrenching faith that God calls us to live by. Sometimes it’s only through trust and faith that we are able to make the biggest decisions of our lives. John 10:27 says, “My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me.” If you are a child of God, He speaks to you. Fact. Even when you doubt. I’m one of the biggest doubters of them all. But through my process in this season of stepping out and trusting what I felt God had spoken to me I’ve found more joy, peace and freedom than I’ve ever known. And I want that for everyone reading this. Sometimes He doesn’t speak in the most obvious way, but it is always the best way. Follow Him.
“The way of trust is a movement into obscurity, into the undefined, into ambiguity, not into some predetermined, clearly delineated plan for the future. The next step discloses itself only out of a discernment of God acting in the desert of the present moment. The reality of naked trust is the life of the pilgrim who leaves what is nailed down, obvious, and secure, and walks into the unknown without any rational explanation to justify the decision or guarantee the future. Why? Because God has signaled the movement and offered it his presence and his promise.” – Brennan Manning, Ruthless Trust: The Ragamuffins Path to God
Hi Mandy,
I’m a new follower of your blog and wanted you to know that the Lord is totally speaking to me through you today. Your words of giving things over to God and trusting Him fully are EXACTLY what I needed to hear. I struggle so much with gripping tightly to my own control over my life and not trusting Him, and He has been pushing me loosen my grip and hand things over to Him. I’ve been fighting hard. But, today was a turning point, and your prayer for those (including me) reading your post today to respond in true faith is what I have done. Thank you so much!
– Christin
Wow. Thank you so much for sharing Christin! I am so so glad to hear that God was able to use this to speak directly to you. I know what you’re saying. I also struggle with letting go of control and responding in trust. But have discovered more recently the incredible beauty and freedom that comes through it. I’ll pray for you right now that you would have strength in whatever it is that God is calling you to trust Him in. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Reblogged this on Thoughts on Life and Gospel and commented:
Something told me to open WordPress today after so long of avoiding it. This post.
Its opening statement: “Sometimes God asks us to surrender something or someone that means the world to us.”
I keep reading: “trust.” That word has haunted and confused me lately as I have sought to answer questions on my own rather than surrender unanswered questions to the power and love of God.
“Idol.” Something that is not necessarily bad. But when it has my devotion in God’s place, it is an idol.
So- I must surrender those unanswered questions and trust God as I give up the idols I worship.
Excellent post; worth reading.
Thanks for sharing @47shadow! I am so glad God used this to speak to you yesterday. 🙂 And there’s an amazing book written on trust by Brennen Manning called, Ruthless Trust. If you haven’t read it you should definitely check it out. 🙂 God Bless!
Thank you! I will definitely check out that book. Keep on sharing and allowing God to use you.
I feel like I’m still waiting for that joy, beauty and freedom. Maybe because I haven’t fully let go and surrendered, though I have many times it just doesn’t seem to stick. Thank you for this post. It’s exactly what I needed to hear.
@runwpatience, thanks for sharing. I’m sorry to hear that you’re still waiting for the joy and beauty to come after taking a step of faith. I’ve been there. And perhaps I should even reword this article a bit because I don’t want it to sound like that is promised. Because sometimes it’s a matter of time….Other times perhaps we won’t fully experience that joy… even after taking that step and being obedient. But the important part is that we were obedient. That we chose God over whatever that thing is that we wanted more. He sees your obedience and it is beautiful even if you’re not fully able to see the beauty in this moment. I will pray that God will give you peace and trust as you walk through this experience with Him.
Thank you so much for your prayers. Sending thanks and prayers up for you today..
Another wonderful post. Do you know I happened to read about trust yesterday somewhere asides your blog while I did my Bible study? Thanks for pointing it out again once more. It’s not easy, but I’ve realized it’s essential to move forward.
Then I also wanted to ask you Mandy. I saw the Natalie’s widget on the right side of your blog and I wanted to ask you if you have the same for yours. I would love to put your blog on my currently loving list but I wanted to know how to go about it or if I’m the one not getting it right.
Thanks once again
Thanks so much Itunu! And agreed that trust isn’t always easy but is essential. 🙂
Regarding your question, thanks so much! I actually don’t have any banners made yet to have posted on other sites but I’m hoping to take care of that this week. Once I have one I can definitely send it to you to share in your “Currently Loving” section. The way I posted it is by using an image widget and linking Natalie’s URL to it. I can explain more fully if you need me to and I’ll send the image as soon as I have it. 🙂
Ok…I got you and I think I would love to have a button when you’re done working with it. Meanwhile, I got to use your image and this was what I got. Please check it out and tell me what you think. I’ll change it when the button comes around because this one doesn’t have the “justice, love and beauty” thing scribbled across it. lool
Oh cool. Thanks so much Itunu! Looks good. I’ll definitely send you the photo once I have it. 🙂
This (post) came to me just when it seems that the Lord gave back to me something I likely idolized previously: my old job. Two and a half years ago, He made it very clear that I needed to get away from it. My marriage was chafing away, and I was exhausted and perpetually irritable, but when He opened the door to another position w/in the same company, I knew this was His answer. For the last two years, I was miserable. I stopped asking for my old job back a year ago. But at the end of February, He told me it was time (and okay) to go back. I started this week…
I’m still trying to sort out the reasons for all of it (why the second chance? What was I lacking before that I now have? How do You know I won’t make the same [idolizing] mistakes? Etc.) and somehow reading your words articulated what had been nebulous in my own head. Thank you!
Hey @Taciturn! Somehow I missed this comment. Just read it now. Thanks so much for sharing your story. So glad God could use the article to speak to you in this situation. Sometimes His timing is everything 🙂