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Dr. Ronald Powell
One decision that will change your life?
That one decision is not a secret.
David the Psalmist discovered and wrote about it in Psalm 56:3: Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.
David knew what fear was, and he knew what it meant to trust in His God.
David's answer is 'TRUST'... Not self, not others, but God!
Can You Trust God in Every Situation?
As I was thinking about Psalm 56:3 I wondered, what would happen if I applied that same trust to every problem and every negative situation I encountered?
What if I trusted God in every situation?
God made us and knows how we trust in ourselves, our strength, our experiences and our intellect when things get very difficult. But simply put, applying this one truth could help us win all of our daily battles. We all know how not trusting God results in failures if we simply ignore him and trust that we are our own savior.
Our Challenge today!
"I'm giving you a challenge."
Make your own list of negative emotions or habits that need work, or areas in which you want to rely on God more. Replace it with "I will trust (in God)" to_____. Replace that negative self trust with the positive habit of turning to and trusting God.
Do you every feel trapped?
Have you ever felt like you were at the end of your rope? What do you do when you reach that point?
The realist would say, "Just tie a knot and hang on."
The pessimist would say, "You might as well let go; it's only going to get worse."
The optimist might say, "Just tie another knot and keep on climbing."
Each of those has its merits but, in reality, what can you do?
Some are in that very place today! You are at the end of your rope and there is a long drop beneath you and you do not know what to do.
* What do you do when you are facing problems with your children that you cannot solve?
* What do you do when your marriage is on the rocks and the crashing waves of hopelessness are unrelenting?
* What do you do when there are problems at work and it seems that there is no way out?
* What do you do when you have too much month left at the end of your money?
* What do you do when you have followed a loved one's body to the graveyard and you cannot escape the loneliness, the grief and the pain?
* What do you do when your heart is broken, your dreams are shattered and your hopes have been dashed to bits on the cruel rocks of reality?
* What do you do when you are walking through a spiritual wasteland and there seems to be no way out?
I don't think anyone but the Lord has all the answers to all those questions. Yet, there may be some help in this one verse we have read today.
Below are some examples:
Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in God.
Whenever I am confused, I will trust in God.
Whenever I am tired, I will trust in God.
Whenever I am weak, I will trust in God
Whenever I am lonely, I will trust in God.
Whenever I am tempted, I will trust in God.
Whenever I am angry, I will trust in God.
Whenever I am discouraged, I will trust in God.
Whenever I am disappointed, I will trust in God.
Whenever I am hurting, I will trust in God.
Whenever I am sick, I will trust in God.
Whenever I am worried, I will trust in God.
Whenever I fail, I will trust in God.
I added that last one to help you whenever you blow it trying to trust. But keep trusting. God is faithful. He can be trusted. And He wants to help you.
This is a positive choice
We're not talking about positive thinking, but a personal commitment, a positive choice. This one choice alone can bring peace and freedom to your spirit.
Practice it often.
You can't control your life circumstances. You can't change other people. And you can't change yourself. Only God can do that. But you can change your perspective, how you handle difficulties, and how you approach life.
You can decide to trust the only One who can make sense out of anything and everything. Trust in God. In everything and in every way. At all times. Simply TRUST.
Closing:
2 Corinthians 1 King James Version (KJV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:
2 Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
7 And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
"You didn't choose me! I chose you! I appointed you to go and produce lovely fruit always, so that no matter what you ask for from the Father, using my name, he will give it to you.
John 15:16, TLB
Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." For it is not those who commend themselves that are approved, but those whom the Lord commends.
2 Corinthians 10:17-18, NRSV
What are you dealing with today that you need to trust God with?
It's Time Let Go and Let God do the rest.
God will change your life. Trusting Him will change your life.
Final Thoughts:
1 Pet 5: 6 - 7 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
Psalm 37:5
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
Psalm 40:17
But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay.
Psalm 55:22
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
Proverbs 16:3
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
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