Have you ever been in a place of seeking after joy, real joy?
There was a season in my life when I was unsure what joy was, but I knew what I was living was anything but…tied to IV support to keep me alive. Every day of that journey I cried out to God to show me His joy.
Do you know what He showed me?
He showed me that if we want joy, we must trust Him. We do what He has called us to do and obey His leading, and then we trust Him for the result.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get wrapped up in “the doing” for God. I want to please Him with what I do.
But that’s not what pleases Him. What makes God happy is when we trust.
His word says, “And without faith (trust) it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe (trust) that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV).
Despite all the times that David wallowed in his misery in the Psalms, he continually came back to “and yet will I trust Him!” That’s what pleased God.
During the difficult trials, my trust muscle often seems weak. I find it hard to trust myself because my feelings are unpredictable. They are simply the outward manifestation of the thoughts I’ve believed.
I find it hard to trust others because their words often relay lack of understanding or compassion. Embarrassingly, I often also struggle to trust God, even though that’s my heart’s desire.
Trusting God is not that complicated
Morning after morning in the quiet of the dawn I silently prayed for God to help me trust Him more.
One morning as I prayed that same prayer again, I sensed God saying, “We’ve been over this before.” We had–just the day before, and the day before that, and several days in a row before that.
I wanted desperately to trust God more, but trusting Him was an area of weakness for me. This particular morning, however, He took a different approach with me.
“Yes, Lord, I know. I just seem to keep struggling. Please help me trust you more.” He surprised me with His next response (which was a typical clue to me that it was the Lord and not my own thoughts):
“It’s really not that complicated. It’s your choice. Either you choose to trust me or you don’t. Either you believe in me or you don’t. Either you believe I’m sovereign or you don’t. Don’t make it any more difficult than that.”
Hmm. When you put it like that it certainly does simplify things. If I’m honest, however, it doesn’t necessarily make it easy. I have to get past myself, past the sum of my human interactions with others that has weakened my readiness to trust in any capacity, and decide to re-engage.
Trust God: What do you have to lose?
Still, it is a choice. It is a risk. But what did I have to lose? My control? My responsibility? My burden? My loneliness?
Wasn’t that worth the risk?
Scripture repeatedly encourages us that if we “trust in the Lord, we will not be disappointed” (Psalm 25:3, Isaiah 28:13, Isaiah 49:23, Romans 10:11, 1 Peter 2:6). This is an empowering promise.
My struggle to fully trust God has been much like a game of tug of war. At times I trust Him so easily, yet at other times, I seem to fight with all my might by trying to achieve in my own strength rather than trusting His.
I have found, however, that God is not interested in fighting a battle to persuade me to trust Him. The Bible provides all the reasons to trust Him. Then He waits patiently for me to respond.
Sometimes I quickly come into agreement with His word, while other times I have to learn the hard way. Given His promise that we will not be disappointed when we trust Him, I have endeavored to trust Him more quickly in all matters.
What’s keeping you from trusting God?
(If you have a question you’d like Dr. B to answer, contact her here now. Your name and identity will be kept confidential.)
Depression doesn’t have to become a permanent part of life.
There is hope.
Hope Prevails: Insights From a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression and the companion Hope Prevails Bible Study help the reader understand how depression comes to be, recover their joy, reclaim their peace, and re-establish their true identity, while knowing their worth, remembering their secure destiny, and being confident that nothing separates them from God’s love.
Hope Prevails and the Hope Prevails Bible Study are must-reads for anyone suffering from depression or knows someone suffering from depression.
“If you or a loved one are walking through the valley of depression, be encouraged that you are not alone. Dr. Michelle Bengtson has provided a powerful resource to help you on your journey toward hope. It is a personal and positive book, as you learn from Dr. Bengtson’s own story as well as her practical knowledge in the field. I love how she shares a prescription, a prayer and a playlist at the end of each chapter to give you an extra boost of strength. Hope Prevails is a must read for every person who struggles with depression.”
Karol Ladd
Author of Thrive, Don’t Simply Survive
I trust God. I think i’m just worn out. Too tired to engage in much of anything except what i must do just to get by. Hoping and praying for better days ahead. By His mercies, it will get better.
Oh Debbie, I wish we could sit and talk over a cup of coffee or tea. I have been right where you are. Can I tell you something, I think that’s exactly what Jesus was referring to in Matthew 11:28 when He said “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Tell Him you’re worn out. Let Him take the load. One thing is for sure…His mercies ARE new every morning! Because of that, not only does Trust Prevail, but #HopePrevails!
Michelle, I love – “Trusting God takes getting past ourselves”! I’m always getting in the way of myself! Ugh! Finding joy in the difficult times, but you are right, it can be done. Looking past ourselves and keeping our focus on Him.
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
Lori, I do too, that’s how come I knew it to be true. Finding joy in the difficult times can be done because we are not looking in the difficult times to bring us joy, but to the one who carries us through them. #JoyPrevails!
I agree with what you wrote here. When we strip away all the emotional objections and willful desire to do things our way, trust is very basic. We either believe and act on what we believe or we don’t. Practically living that out is sometimes very hard and scary, but action is really what proves whether we really believe what we say we believe. thanks for this post.
Karen, God’s truth is never complicated…we are the ones who complicate it. But as we take Him at His word and trust Him more and more, it does get easier. So glad you joined us here!! #TrustPrevails!
I love this whole post – every word is a word of truth! The part that struck me the most and resonated with me was that even if we need to be reminded every morning to trust Him that we can say…. “and yet will I trust Him!” no matter what – – “and yet will I trust Him!” Thanks for such true words today and everyday! Your neighbor at #Coffeeforyourheart and #WomenWithIntention
love, Love, LOVE seeing you here Debbie! It all comes back to standing on Truth, doesn’t it? Then trusting it. We must choose to say, “and yet will I trust Him!” #TrustPrevails!
Michelle,
Yes…the choice….and I need to remind myself that I can choose to trust and still not immediately feel any different but I’ve trusted as best as I can and I ask God to help me to fully surrender…blessings to you 🙂
Dolly, sometimes I get so stuck in a routine or way of thinking that I forget I already am choosing to trust something or someone, so I’d better make the intentional choice to trust the only One who matters. When our trust is in Him, #TrustPrevails!
Thanks for sharing your heart with women who need encouragement. Blessings on your continued ministry through writing.
I appreciate your sweet encouragement! I hope we’ll see you back here again sometime! Blessings!
I struggle to trust too and loved the reminder that God isn’t interested in arguing about it with me. He just wants me to believe and trust. That really resonates with me and makes it seem easier somehow.
Thank you for sharing with us at #JoyHopeLive!
yes, trust has always been my issue…with just about everyone, even the Lord. He is so faithful to prove Himself to us though, isn’t HE/ Thank you for this life-giving post!
I know that trusting God is so important. It is important enough that the Lord keeps telling us over and over when circumstances do not look good, to TRUST HIM. So we will always come back to, YES LORD, I will TRUST in YOU!! It is my heart to trust Him and not doubt, not argue, not fall away from His presence and do my own thing. I want to TRUST GOD!! He is TRUSTWORTHY!!! I am speaking LIFE into myself right now. Glory to God!! So thankful for this message Michelle!! You are a blessing!!!