WHO TO TRUST

We tend to take matters into our own hands and try to manipulate circumstances to meet our own desires. The problem is that many times it backfires on us. Before we can enjoy the fulfilled life God has for us, we must learn to rely on Him.

FOUR LESSONS FOR RELYING ON GOD:

1. CONFRONT YOUR FEARS SO YOU CAN TRUST GOD.

Often, the life of faith will lead down difficult paths. God never promised that the way of faith would be an easy way. In fact, just the opposite is true. God has promised us that life will be filled with trials and troubles, (Job 14:1; Job 5:7; John 16:33). Yet, that is the path of faith. But God also promises that He will take you through it.

2. ACCEPT THE UNEXPECTED.

God does a lot of things we may not expect. We think He would supply our needs and reward our faith the way we think He should. But He does the unexpected. Why? Because He is teaching us what it means to really trust in Him.

3. LIVE BY GOD’S GRACE ONE DAY AT A TIME.

Don’t buy into the false teaching that God always wants you to have lots of money and material things and wealth. The Bible doesn’t teach that. Elijah, the “man of God”, someone at the center of God’s will wasn’t led to a place of plenty.

The Apostle Paul teaches us the principle in Philippians 4:12-13, I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

The issue is not whether you have much or little; the issue is trusting God. And He will supply everything you need. Learn to trust in the “Gift-Giver”, not the “gifts.” Put your trust in the “Provider”, not the “provision.”

How long can you go without going to the grocery store before starving? Most of us could probably go for a long time. That’s because we live in America and we have a surplus. We have pantries and refrigerators and freezers to store our food. We have drive thru restaurants, so the family can eat in the car on the way to wherever we’re going.

We consider “storing up” to be a blessing, but the only danger with storing up is we may not learn to depend on God. We just simply depend on our selves and our surplus and hardly consider God to be our Provider and Guide in life.

The Bible does teach us to prepare for the future and to plan ahead, but there is a danger of depending on ourselves more than on God. We may take our eyes off of God and look more at what we can do to supply for ourselves, and then when things don’t go our way and circumstances upset our plans, we become frustrated, worried, and angry. But that’s because we weren’t trusting God. We were trusting in ourselves instead.

4. BE WILLING TO TRUST GOD WHEN YOU DON’T SEE THE ANSWERS.

The prophet Elijah said to the widow who only had one meal left for her son and herself, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.'" She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. 1 Kings 17:13-16

When Elijah hears the widow’s sob story, he makes what appears to be the coldest demand in the Bible. He tells her to go ahead and fix her last supper, but to feed him first. On the surface this appears harsh and cruel, but it was really an appeal for faith and surrender to the will of God. When this widow heard the word of God, she went and did as Elijah had commanded her. It must have taken great faith to use the last little bit of meal she had to prepare bread for a total stranger. Yet she did it by faith. And because she took God at His Word and prepared bread for Elijah, God blessed. For years, until it rained again and the famine ended, every mealtime was a miracle. God worked a miracle in that jug and in that jar every single day.

We serve a God Who specializes in doing the impossible. It may look hopeless to us, but we must never count God out. He can take the little that is dedicated to Him by faith and multiply it to enormous proportions.

Hudson Taylor, the great missionary to China in the nineteenth century said, “God’s work, done God’s way, will receive God’s supply.”

God is able to turn hopeless situations around and give hope. He’s able to take death and give you life. He’s able to turn impossible into possible. He is able to take your faithlessness and give you faith – if we’ll really rely on Him. We should make our plans but trust God to lead us and provide for us. God wants us to look to him for strength to get through today, and not to worry about tomorrow. Jesus said in Matthew 6:33-34 (NCV) “Seek first God's kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well. So don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” He’ll take care of today, today, and He’ll take care of tomorrow, tomorrow.