This is one of my favorite vacation pictures. I love how Camdyn has her Daddy's hand. When we go to the beach she loves the sand and loves the shallow pools that form in the dips of sand. She loves the beach but if she finds herself nearing the crashing waves, she always reaches for someone's hand. She becomes nervous and she is fearful to be that close to the breaking waves. As long as she has someone's hand, she is okay. She trusts that Mommy and Daddy will not let anything happen to her and has faith in us as her parents, that we will keep her safe. It wasn't too long ago, that she wanted to ride the a carousel and asked me if I would "stand by her". She needs the reassurance in some situations that we are there to protect her.
As Christians, we also need that same trust and reassurance in God. We want to be able to trust that no matter what happens, we are going to be safe. In order to trust, we must first have faith. I realized tonight that having faith and trusting isn't a one time choice. You don't declare that you are going to trust God and that be the end. It is a DAILY decision. When faced with worry or trials, we have to make a decision at that moment that we will trust in what God has in store.
Some of the best scripture I have read in quite awhile was tonight. I am calling it the Hall of Fame of Faith. Hebrews 1:11 spotlights several individuals throughout the bible who displayed faith in what God was doing in their lives. They trusted that what was happening to them, was God's will, and they were blessed because of their faith in God. All of them displayed an act of faith in God. Abel sacrificed, Enoch pleased God, Noah moved with fear, Abraham obeyed, and Sarah stayed faithful.
When we place too much attention into our worries, they grow. Like the kudzu I referenced in an earlier post. It leaves us undermining our faith in God and leaves us in defeat. Why choose defeat when we can choose faith? Instead of putting our faith in unknown uncertainty, why not put our faith in its entirety, in God?
The most powerful act of faith was that of Jesus in Matthew 26. In his greatest trial, he prayed. Prayer is a form of trusting. The challenge today is to pray away your worries. Pray that God would help you to trust in his greater plan. Have faith that God is working things out in his time and for the good of YOU.
- Courtney B