Christian Living

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To put our trust in God means accepting, without doubt, that according to His Word, He will do what He says he will do. Its easier to accept this truth for situations we may expect. What about the situations that show up unexpectedly? Where does the faith to carry us through the unseen come from? How do we get to a place in our lives of fully trusting God to handle all of our todays and tomorrow’s? Is it really possible?

Living spiritually means trusting in what God says rather that what we as mere humans would say in any given situation. Next, we must understand that many times we are forced into a spiritual mindset, though we may not see it as that. In other words, those are the times when we have no other choice but to turn to God. For instance when the transmission on my vehicle went out and I had no emergency funds to rely on the first thing I did was look for the tangible. In this case money. I felt that I would be in control of the situation by getting the vehicle repaired and my problem would be resolved. But after asking relatives or close friends to no avail, I was forced to throw my hands up and say, “Lord, please help me! I don’t know what else to do!” I had unknowingly been thrown into an unwilling act of faith. I had no choice but to rely on God to make a way for me.

It is too bad that we go through scenarios such as low funds in the midst of expensive emergencies more than once, before we realize that had we activated our faith in seeking God first, a lot of frustration and stress would have been avoided. And then it seems that we still have trouble letting go and letting God take control because somehow the worry, frustration and rationalization lingers on. Therefore, it appears that trials and tribulations are most often necessary to get us to the point of seeking God only after we have exhausted all avenues in trying it our way. When it comes to turning everything over to God, we dare not give him both ends of the rope. Even when we are pushed to our limits, we still sometimes choose to hold on to one end while throwing God the other.

Why play tug of war with God when he says to cast our cares upon him (I Peter 5:7))? Why get weary when he says come ye who are heavy laden and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28)? Why be pulled to and fro when God is a very present help in the time of trouble (Psalm 46:1)? Turning everything over to God is a decision that often comes after many unsuccessful attempts of trying to
handle things on our own. We say let go, and let God, but we just can’t seem to let go of our end of the rope. It just is not the natural thing to do.

Operating spiritually when our lives have been turned upside down doesn’t feel comfortable. It is just not in our nature. It is not based on what we see or what we know. To operate spiritually is about trusting God to the best of our ability by taking everything we think we control and giving it to Him. It’s a conscious decision; not based on feelings nor emotions. We rely heavily on our feelings especially when we are faced with trials and temptations. In order to truly live by faith we have to get beyond our emotions. It is an ongoing process. A process which begins with the desire to put our trust in God. We will win in some situations and lose in others, but we must never give up on pursuing the ability to live our lives by faith.

How do we make this decision to trust in God with all of our heart and lean not to our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6) when our son or daughter turns to sex or alcohol for comfort? How does one lock out worry (Matthew 6:31-32) when a son or daughter becomes a run-a-way at age 13? Why can’t a Sunday school attending, Bible Scholar first seek the Kingdom of God and its righteousness (Matthew 6:33) when the company closes down after 25 years of employment? How does an ordained Minister stay focus on counseling others about what thus saith the Lord, when he himself has just been served divorce papers? Jesus said, in this world we are going to have tribulations, but be of good cheer because he has already overcome the world (John 16:33). But what’s so cheery about having the breadwinner of the family pass away shortly after the insurance policy expires?

The problem is not that it is impossible to turn everything over to God. God’s word says, all things are possible with God. As Christians we must believe and accept that. The problem is putting our beliefs into to practice, which we know is not an easy thing to do. Shouldn’t our beliefs be enough to give us courage and hope to face our problems knowing God is with us? The possibilities of turning everything over to God appear very slim when it’s our nature to respond and react in certain situations that do not display faith. Our nervous system confirms the fact that it’s just not natural to be calm in the midst of a storm. Our impulses command us to run when there’s danger. Our desires say yes to worldly pleasures forbidden by God.

Our natural senses involve everything tangible in this world; everything that we know and live by, comfortable or not. They are what sometimes keep us from drawing close to God and from hearing God. Despite all, our situation is not helpless. God has given us free will; the means by which to make choices. He wants us to choose to walk in the spirit; to handle life’s situations according to His word. His desire is that we make spiritual choices - correct choices that come out of having a personal relationship with Him. God truly wants us to put everything that concerns our lives, the spiritual and the natural, into His hands.

The conscious decision to allow God control over our natural realm, propels our attitudes, actions and responses into the spiritual realm. When our minds are made up to trust God despite our feelings, how the situation looks, leaning to our own understanding or what we want to happen, problems are no longer bigger than God. That is the point where we have chosen not to make choices or behave in ways based on what we naturally see, hear, feel, touch or smell. Hidden strength and patience is manifested. The could haves and the should haves no longer hold weight. Natural dimensions take a back seat. Natural sight becomes spiritual insight. Natural hearing becomes spiritual inclination. Natural feelings become spiritual faith. Natural touch becomes spiritual dependence. Natural aromas become spiritually scented. Natural temptations become spiritual discernment.

With each incident in our lives, the process to develop trust and faith in God involves making a decision to seek him first (Matthew 6:33). There are steps that are essential to reversing the effects of the worldly way of handling things that we have fallen prey to for so long. Our lifestyles must develop into one of prayer, praise, worship, thanksgiving, and meditation on the word of God. Believing, speaking and affirming the word of God continuously within every situation must become habitual in our daily lives. This is how we develop spiritual eyes, ears, hearts and minds; all that will allow us to trust Him to operate and direct our lives. As we internalize the Word of God, we develop confidence and are able to take spiritual control over the physical or mental aspects of our circumstances. Tears are turned into joy, frustration into peace; worry is turned into hope, doubt into trust, weakness into strength, lies into truth, fear into faith, and defeat into victory.

Turning everything over to God requires having a mind made up - a mind transformed. It requires having a heart changed and a change of heart; determining to follow God totally and completely, mistakes and all. It requires getting right back on track, after we have fallen off; asking God to take control of our lives-over and over again if we have to. It will require that we know, believe and abide in the word of God constantly. God didn’t say we had to feel a certain way in order to confirm His truth. He doesn’t tell us that faith has a certain look or a specific feeling to it. He tells us to walk by faith and not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7); to walk in the spirit so that we do not fulfill the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16); that we can call those things that are not, as though they were (Romans 4:17).

Practicing to live daily in the spirit is definitely a challenge. The word of God plus putting that word into practice are what will help us develop a mindset of trusting him with our lives. The changes we desperately seek will not come about over night, but they will come about. Our minds will one day be renewed and transformed (Romans 12:2) so that we are able live by faith. When this happens that we will be able to walk in a new way, a spiritual way; a way paved, not by sight, but by faith.

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