Faith

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TRUST

Let me challenge you to place a blindfold over your eyes and take a few steps forward. Better yet, take a walk outside. Usually the idea is to turn you around and around and then let you go on your own. Your thoughts probably are: do you turn to the right or to the left, or walk sideways? Is it easy to lose your balance? Where is the wall? Will I hit my head or fall down the steps and make a fool out of myself? Who is looking? Even though I was raised in a wonderful Christian family with my father and mother encouraging me to have faith, I have struggled at times to maintain my trust, my total trust. I believe that you can say easily that you have trusted in God but until you are face to face with trials, whether physical, financial, spiritual, or emotional, you are unable to comprehend that trust and the goal to achieve it. It’s a whole new ballgame .Since I was diagnosed one year ago with Multiple Sclerosis, I have had many ups and owns. He continues to lead me into paths that I have to have him to lead ME, for I cannot find my way alone. Just as my children had faith in me when they were born to feed them and provide for them, my Heavenly Father wants me to depend on Him to provide for me. Do you remember how we would continue to challenge our children to walk, and not crawl? We know that it’s best for them; they cannot crawl their way through life! We know that they are going to have some falls as they learn; best we will be there for them to encourage them and lift them up when they do fall. God is like that too for us, for me. Sometimes it seems I am crawling. We have to, minute by minute, day by day, look for rest in him. It is easier to tell that to someone, if your life is sailing smoothly – We have no idea what others are going through - but God does! For me it is my TOTAL faith that he wants. He wants me to stop trying to fix things myself. He wants me to Let Go and Let God Do It!!! Let God be God! But, Wow, what a challenge it has been for me, and STILL is!!!
“TRUST in the Lord and lean NOT to your own understanding.”
Prov. 3:5
In addition, not only that “Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart.” Now, just how am I supposed to do that? I like the dependency of things being the same. I enjoy a regular routine, nothing changing, health, family, friends, and finances, all staying the same, predictable. That way, I can make plans for the future, and organize my life. Do you notice the “I” in all that? I have to learn to get the “I” out of the way. Sometimes I can be like Naaman. He was a great leader. When Elijah told him to wash seven times in the river Jordan, he was angry. It seemed foolish to him. The Jordan River was dirty. He felt like Elijah would just call out the name of the Lord and heal his leprosy. But later, after reconsidering, he was healed when he followed God's directions. Sometimes we feel like we are tough enough to attack and fix things ourselves and just get it done! Here are a few plans of attack against Satan and his discouragement and deception that have helped me and maybe help you.
1. There is nothing going on in your life that God doesn't
know about.
2. This life is not all there is. We are only passing
through here for a short while.
3. You are loved! You are loved unconditionally! Our
Heavenly Father loved us so much that he sent his Son
to show us and provide for us a beautiful heaven.
4. There is a likely purpose for your pain, your struggles.
Ask God to reveal it to you. For me, His goal is his plan
for me to draw closer to Him, spend more time in prayer
and in His word and to see others who are in pain and
are struggling, show them Jesus, and love them. I have
learned to re-prioritize my life.
5. God will not give up on you. The story is not finished
yet. Don't give up on yourself.
6. Find scriptures to attack Satan head on when he tries
to bring doubts and into your life. Fear comes directly
from Satan. Only Faith and scriptures can smash it. That
is what Jesus used.
7. You are not alone. God has said, “I will never fail you
or forsake you”
8. Your prayers are heard and His strength is available.
9. Count your blessings. Name them. Write them down.
For me it is my family and their love and I write down
the things that I CAN do, which actually gets bigger
when I look at them face to face and keep them in the
back of my mind
10. God is weeping with you. He loves you just as you
love your own children, even more!

When our kids were little we used to play this ball and cup game that Jack invented. They loved it! He would blindfold them, spin them around, give them a ball, and they would have to find a cup that he had placed somewhere in the living room, and then put the ball in it. We have several funny videos of them searching and looking trying to find that cup!
It’s not that peace and trust is hidden from us, but at times I can testify it seems that way. But if I change my way of thinking to motivate myself to keep looking forward and up to the Lord and not side to side at Satan’s trickery, things seem to change and my outlook changes. Maybe I am not feeling great outside, but inside things are different. Like Peter, I have to keep my eyes on Jesus and not on circumstances or I will drown. One thing I need to say - I am STILL learning this process. MS is an unpredictable disease that affects everyone different. In addition, I think that is why it is so hard for me to maintain stable ground at times. However, I am learning that the ground is level at the foot of the cross and He is there to meet me every day! I think before I ever heard of MS (which was about two years ago) I never really understood what type of pain, inside and out, that others go through, whether it is cancer, a brain tumor, fibromyalgia, MS, or back pain, so many struggles physically that people face. Until you see it all face to face you are unable to comprehend their day to day struggles. Even though even now I don't understand each one’s trials, I can in a small way reach out to them .Absalom had gathered an army to kill David, his father. David was able to find peace and rest that night. Sleep does not come easy in crises. How can you do it? David cried to the Lord and the assurance he felt gave him rest (Ps. 4). God is in control of your circumstances. Thank God for that control. Rest in Him. Just lay back in the arms of your Heavenly Father.
This is an excerpt from the book, ”The Story of Love” by Juanita Coy. Booksurge Publishing.

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