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(Presented by Lisa Bishop)
Do you ever find your confidence in God wavering when life catches you off guard or things just don’t seem to make sense sometimes?
We all face times throughout our lives when trusting in God is hard. We can be tempted to wonder if God really cares about us when the circumstances we are facing are perplexing. Whether it’s a sudden loss of a job, a friend who turns their back on us, or a relationship that seemed promising goes sideways, the truth is life’s twists and turns can be confusing and they can cause you to doubt God’s faithfulness.
You can be tempted to fear that God has forgotten you and doubt that his plans for you are good. That’s when your courage to trust God needs to kick in. That may sound funny: courage to trust God? Courage has often been described as the determination to act despite the presence of fear. When I think about that definition of courage as it relates to faith, it goes something like this, “In spite of my current circumstance, I will not give in to fear. I will be determined to believe God is for me and live in such a way that shows I trust him.”
Sometimes you need to remind yourself that even when you cannot see it, God is always working in your best interest and on your behalf because he loves you.
When it comes to the courage to trust God I am reminded of Job. In the story of Job we learn that he was “blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1). He had ten children and was a man of great wealth. One day Satan accused him of honoring God only because God had blessed him. So, God allowed Satan to take away Job’s wealth, his children, and his health, leading Job to utter devastation and loss.
Stunningly we read that Job grieved deeply but did not accuse God of any wrongdoing (Job 1:22; 42:7-8). The life of Job demonstrates that we are often unaware of the many ways God is at work in the life of every believer. Job, even during his suffering and crying out to God, knew that God was in total control. Though he had no way of knowing why so many terrible tragedies were occurring in his life, Job never lost his faith in God, even under the most heartbreaking circumstances that tested him to his core, he demonstrated determination, courage, and trust, despite his circumstances. It’s hard to imagine losing everything we own in one day—property, possessions, and even children and not wavering in understanding that God is still in control.
What difficult and perhaps confusing circumstances are you currently facing? How will you choose to demonstrate the courage to trust God? Proverbs 16:20b says, “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.”
Put your confidence, hope, and security in Jesus. He will come through.
