Trust

The time has come to start thinking about second grade. For O. First grade is coming to a close and soon decisions will be made about classrooms and teachers for next school year. But, first grade is comfortable. It feels good. Why do we have to move on?

While I know that the environment is important for O - the structure, routine, noise level, chaos-factor, etc. - I also know that the leader, the teacher is also important. He/she must be kind and loving and have reasonable expectations. She must know how to push, with care. But, most of all, she must be trustworthy.

"The most important thing is that he trusts his teacher. Because, if he trusts her, then he knows she has his best interest in mind and when something happens - when the structure or circumstances change - he can follow her without fear."

These are the words I spoke to a friend, several weeks ago. Then, later that morning, we took O to the dentist, which has historically been a source of fear for him. The hygienist said, "We need to build his trust. He needs to know that this is a safe place." And, they made it safe. They built his trust. As a result, he followed with trust. He left laughing instead of crying. Not because he had grown to love the circumstance of being at the dentist - of having people's hands and metal instruments in his mouth - but, because he had kept his focus on the people who built rapport and who he trusted to respect and value him.

In these situations, I have discovered my own lessons of trust. And, I have heard God speaking through them, Do you trust me? With your life? With your children? With your dreams?

In the book, Every Bitter Thing is Sweet, Sara Hagerty writes this about her desire to find God during her struggle with barrenness of the womb and of the soul, “I wanted him. Whether he came and lifted my circumstances, or he just came...Even when my circumstances were unbending, God was good to me.”

That's what I want so desperately to feel...that God is not only good, but that he is good to me. That I can trust him.

Over the past several months, I have been working on writing a Bible Study, which focuses on discovering God through the Psalms. 

As a result of my preparation for this study, God continually surprised me with insights into his steadfast love, grace and mercy, at a time when I needed nothing more than to hear that message. Here's what I learned...

The book of Psalms is a poetic story told through the hearts of God’s people; it's their response to their circumstances, in light of who God is. In the psalms, you will find stories of faith and doubt, failure and victory, despair and hope.

For the writers of the psalms, through all circumstances, God is the constant. He is the variable that never changes. In that way, our praise is not dependent on the circumstance, but on God, himself.

I can either look at my circumstances in light of God or look to Him alone, trusting him despite my circumstances, believing that the circumstances are irrelevant. Either way, there is only God and an intimacy that goes beyond a situation or condition.

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. 

We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence...

In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises.

2 Peter 1:3,5

How will you respond to God's promises today? Will you trust him?