Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. Don’t consider yourself to be wise; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. This will be healing for your body and strengthening for your bones.   Proverbs 3:5-8 HCSB

The other day my husband and I watched a movie about a young man who was not a particularly talented football player, but with his total commitment to Christ and his determination and commitment to the team, he was able to go far. Often times we are stifled because we lack commitment. We lack faith. This young man put God first, he trusted Him completely. He also put the necessary work in to accomplish his goals. Too often we sit around asking God to hand something over to us, but we are not willing to work for it. We don’t completely trust that He will provide for us.

I want you to understand how critical it is that we trust the LORD wholeheartedly in every area of our lives. No matter what we do, we should put God first. We should then completely trust Him to do what is best for us. Our scripture passage tells us to trust in the LORD with all our heart. It doesn’t suggest some lukewarm half baked commitment to Him. It tells us to trust in Him completely. Often times we say we trust in the LORD but we walk around with sad faces and a heavy heart because we are “praying for the best and preparing for the worst”. That’s not what God wants from us. If we are praying for the best then we must trust that God will work whatever it is out for our good. This means that even if we think it’s the worst case scenario, we are trusting God to do what is best for us.

Imagine that your child is asking something of you that they truly need (not just want). Suppose that whatever they are asking is well within your ability to provide. Of course you have every intention of providing this need for them, but they don’t trust that you will come through. How would that make you feel? If your own child didn’t trust you to provide a basic need even though you were perfectly capable of providing it, how would you feel? Now, imagine how it must make God feel when we don’t trust Him to do His absolute best for us. How must He feel when we don’t believe in Romans 8:28 that tells us He will work all things out for our good if we love Him and are called according to His purpose? Do you think it makes Him happy when we don’t trust Jeremiah 29:11 and believe that He has good plans for us, plans for our welfare and not for evil, to give us a future and a hope? Do you think we are honoring God when we refuse to be still and know that He is God? Or do you think He’s happy when we struggle to take matters into our own hands foolishly thinking that we can handle things better than He can?

In the movie, one thing I remember this football player’s mother telling him is that he must remember that he not only must trust, but he must obey. Trust and obey is not just lyrics to a song, but it’s how we must live as Christians. We are not only expected to trust God to do good for us, but we must be obedient. We must obey His commands. If we fail to obey, then we will face His wrath rather than His blessings.

Are you fighting a battle that has left you tired and weary? Do you feel as though you have no fight left in you? Then be still, know that He is God. Know that He will be exalted among the nations, He will be exalted in the earth (Psalm 46:10). Know that He fights our battles for us (2 Chronicles 20:15). He tells us in Matthew 11:28 to come to Him when we are weary and He will give us rest. He tells us that we can take up his yoke and learn from Him. This means that he will carry our heavy burden alongside us. He tells us that He is gentle, humble in heart and in Him we will find rest. He tells us in verse 30 that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

My friend if you are exhausted from this thing called life and it has left you feeling weary, know that you only need to trust in Him. Know that He will fight your battles for you, He will give you rest. You only need to trust and obey. He gave His life for you, don’t you think He’s earned your trust?

Have a great day!