Trust
Trust
is my One
Word for 2012. If you haven’t heard of One Word 2012, it’s choosing one
word, through thought and prayer, to focus on for the year. Since beginning
this, I’ve been surprised, and sometimes amazed, at how often the issue of
trust becomes present in my relationship with God.
A
few weeks ago, I shared that I planned to spend more time studying Scripture
verses regarding trust. While I’m still doing that, this week I realized
that the issue of trust is underlying even when the word “trust” is not in the
verse.
Have
you ever felt like a Scripture verse leapt off the page when you read it? I
love when that happens! I feel like God is being really obvious in getting my
attention, and honestly, sometimes I need that. He grabbed my attention this
week as I read Psalm 139.
Search
me, O God, and know my heart;
test
me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point
out anything in me that offends you,
And
lead me along the path of everlasting life.
(Psalm
139:23-24 NLT)
I’ve
read these two verses many times, but what came to mind this time was trust.
Do
I trust God…with me?
I
often turn to God in prayer asking Him to change my heart, but then I slip in a
change in situation or someone else that would benefit me.
Lord, please change
my heart…and could you also change him (or her)?
God, I know I need
work on my heart, but if you could also change this situation, everything would
be a lot easier.
After
all, these are the sources of my troubles, right?
As
I read these verses over and over, I wondered…When I ask God to change my
heart, am I prepared to accept that He might work on me and not the other
person or the situation at hand?
Do
I trust Him enough to change my heart knowing it means laying down my hopes and
desires that might not line up with His plans for me?
Maybe
you’ve considered this before, but it struck me in such a way that I had to
think about it and have a heart-to-heart with God. If you’ve ever had an honest
heart-to-heart talk with God, you know it can be gut-wrenching.
As
I spent time (and shed a few tears) with Him, He showed me a few areas that
need some work, to put it mildly.
Jealously…it
starts with comparing myself to others, and wanting something more, better, or
different than what I have. Jealously feeds on itself until it’s completely out
of control and making me sick.
Disappointment…it
comes from relying on others instead of God. I don’t mean the “don’t forget the
milk at the store” type of reliance. I mean putting my trust and hopes in
someone, expecting that person to handle such a huge burden and not let me
down.
Unhappiness…the
outcome of jealously and disappointment. It’s what happens when I spend my time
focusing on what’s not going right in my life (according to me), instead of
what’s going well. Unhappiness leads to a lack of thankfulness.
God
searched me and showed me what is offensive to Him.
Do
I trust Him to clean this poison out of my heart and change me? Yes.
I
know it won’t be easy. In fact, at times I think it will be emotional and
painful. But I surrender. I trust God to make changes…in me.
In
Christ,
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Will you join me at 5 Minutes for Faith to
read the rest? If you do, please leave a comment. I’d love to know you stopped
by.
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t
judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t
see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the
Lord looks at the heart.”
