Got into a discussion with a friend about trusting God and some of the ways that concept can go off track: from the laid back don't worry about doing the work because God will take care of it attitude, to people who take disproportionate risks because they trust God won't let anything bad happen, to those who live off the generosity of other people aren't particularly wise or frugal about how they spend their money.
The one discussion I rarely hear though is about what does it look like to trust God when things are going well and he has supplied the need in that area, so let's have that one. I know the one thing I have experienced lately in relation to things I want is that trusting in God looks a lot like not falling prey to the fear of missing out. But how about the rest of you:
What does it look like to trust God's provision when he's given you a job with a salary that provides enough money to meet your needs?
What does it look like to trust God with your heart and relationships when you've found and married your special someone?
What does it look like to trust God to sustain you and keep you going when you have no health problems?
What does faith look like in the midst of abundance, or is it something you only need when you feel a need?
Hi Cinder,
Good question!
I'll start by saying that a couple of years ago I had a circumstance where I was trying to trust God about (meaning I wanted an answer to this and how do I get it) so one day I asked an older man at church. I asked "How do you trust God?" His reply, and this is not word for word but should be close, "Read the bible and look for God's promises and put your trust in them."
I was annoyed...at first. I wanted him to engage me and ask questions and give guidance. As time went on and I thought about what he said and how it applied to that circumstance I realized there was no promise in the bible that I would get it.
Interestingly enough I have a job with a good salary and it pays above my expenses and there is a retirement plan etc. But I have found that in the last couple of years I am becoming restless. God provided that job for me and I am there for a reason actually I would say multiple reasons.
1. Provide for my family and pay bills.
2. Be a light to those around me by the way I work and also through the relationships I have there. ( I would venture to say that I mess this up a lot.)
3. To give back to God in tithe. Also since God has blessed me in this I am able to support various ministries that I have a heart for. And as I have an interest in some of these I want to get involved also.
4. Plan for the future. I do not want to stay in this position for too long. For me it is stressful. But while I'm here I will be working on getting out of debt, including my mortgage, so that I can take a job where there is less stress and more time to get involved in some of those ministries.
God may change my path at any time.
As far as you second question. Marriage is not easy. Both husband and wife need to be looking to God always (which doesn't happen, we get distracted by so many things) if things are going to work. If I would have known what was going to happen in my marriage before hand, I would have ran. But God gives us the grace to go through things even if our faith is very weak. He sustains us. But I have learned much from it all. If I get the opportunity to marry again, I know it will have problems. Two sinners together is just asking for trouble but it's not impossible or even bad. It will take prayer, commitment, compromise and work.
I also realize that marriage is not a promise in the bible. I may very well never marry again. So I am planning on doing things expecting that not to happen. But if it does...
.
Health...hmmm. My thoughts would be that as to the rest of the things you asked, we need to be good stewards. Finances, the way we live, the things we say, the things we do, how we live, what we eat, choices we make....What are we able to do that needs done? It's not that different from finances really.
In the last year or so I have been having this growing desire to go sky diving. But sense tells me I shouldn't since I have 5 children to look after. Ya know, just in case the parachute fails to open, or in my excitement I forget to put it on!
Regardless of where we are at in our life circumstances, we need to have an eternal view of who we are in Christ. We need to realize that all that we have is given to us by God and he entrusts us with it for a short time. We need to expect that we will face hardship because of our faith, being uncomfortable, mocked, ridiculed, persecuted. I would say that the bible promises us that we will have this because of our faith. If we think that we are not going to have these things I think we are believing a lie. We will fail and fall in these things till the day we die but we need to persevere. There is forgiveness and we need it daily.
Also, God disciplines those he loves. Discipline is not fun.
If God is for us, who can be against us?
Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.
Sorry for the length. I could have kept going.
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