One thing we can all agree – these are unprecedented times and the events of 2020 have left many of us “scratching our heads,” trying to figure out - what happened? One thing is certain, we have entered uncharted waters or should I say - unfamiliar ground. Most, if not all of us, do not like when the “earth shakes beneath our feet”, the feeling of discomfort or pain shakes our very core. So how can we combat these challenging times? Two words come to mind – Trust God! But what does it mean to trust God? To answer this question, we must understand what it means to trust.
To trust means:
- To take refuge
- To confide in and
- To have hope
Take Refuge in God
When I think of the word refuge I think of a hiding place. The meaning of refuge: "a place to escape/flee” or “to find a safe place." One way you and I can certainly escape is by spending time in God’s presence – reading his word and praying. It is vital that we take refuge in God and not man, so many times we feel overwhelmed, depressed, disappointed and hurt... the word of God tells us that God is our refuge (2 Sam 22:3). He is our hiding place - a safe place you and I can run too when we need to be mended, refreshed, restored and healed. For God to be our refuge it means that God knew there will be days/times like these when we need to escape and be in His presence. "For thou art the potter and we are the clay mold us and make us this is what I pray." So remember taking refuge is entering into the "Potter's House."
To Confide in God
The word confide means “to entrust something to someone for safekeeping." God is the best person to put our confidence in. Like the songwriter says: “What a friend we have in Jesus,” yes we can confide in family or friends but can we entrust them to keep what is dare to us? Can you trust “mankind” with every intimate and detailed aspect of your life? There just are some things we are not willing to share with others, but by God saying to trust Him, it means we can share it with Him. I also see confiding as imparting my secrets to God; a way of purging, a form of cleansing, for confession is good for the soul. Do you know the beautiful thing about confiding in God? He will not judge you the way man would. The word confide also means "a feeling of consciousness of one's powers and faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper or effective way" (remember this meaning). So I ask the question like the songwriter: "Why do I feel discouraged and why should my heart be lonely when Jesus is my portion, a constant friend is He?" And each one of us can testify that God has been a constant friend to us! It is also important to note that if we are friends of God, He can also confide in us. Whatever His decision for our lives; we must trust and believe that God has made the right decision.
To Hope in God
Last, is hope, have hope in God for the things you desire to see changed, come to past or turn around. This is the part where many of us fall short, yes, we run to Him, and yes we confide in Him, but do we have hope in Him? The word of God tells us that "hope makes us not ashamed" Romans 5:5. Therefore, we can hope in God to bring that which we hope for into fruition in our lives but we must remember that while we may hope for “X” God may have “Y” and being God's friend we should have that "faith and belief that God will act in a right proper and effective way." Remember the meaning of confide - well it also means to have confidence in God and if He is our friend and vice versa we should trust that His way is perfect. So do not fall short in this area and be not fearful to hope for what you desire but remember, your hope is in God and not the object for if you hope in the object/thing then you are not trusting God.
So my brothers and sisters I encourage you today to Trust God - take refuge, confide and hope in Him for it is only God that can see us through these unprecedented times.
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Written by: Cheryl Carty-Strachan
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