Trusting My Lord

The other day I was asked to give a testimony of what the Lord has been doing in my heart and life this past year. As I thought about what I should say the one thing that kept coming back to me was – trust. I have learned so much about putting my trust in the Lord. I have not completely learned this lesson by far, but it has been truly rewarding learning what I have.

I have always been driven by the “what if’s” in life, I have always been the one to worry about how things will work or turn out, and I have always been the one to stress about things completely out of my control. I often feel like the world is depending on me and like I need to be the super hero that rescues the day. Many times I feel the pressure of “if I don’t do it, nobody else will”. I worry about how the next year will turn out, the conversation I will have with the person who needs to hear the gospel, and the things that are going on back home that I wish so badly to be a part of.

I made a decision to read psalms in one week during Christmas break. This was new to me because I had always thought of psalms as a book that was kind of like the dessert after the real meal. While reading it I kept being struck with verses that talked about trust. I knew I was being convicted about it and so I decided that I needed to try and really trust in the Lord.

This was a very difficult decision for me because it meant that I was going to have to let God handle things and just “but out”. Through many failures and victories I have learned how dependable God really is. He has never let me down and he has never failed me in any way shape or form. He has always been there for me even when I feel like I can handle things on my own. He will always be there for me and he will never leave my side. He is completely worthy of all my trust, and He is fully capable to handle any situation that may arise. There is no reason for me to try to handle things in my own strength when the All Powerful God is ready and willing to do so for me. He is completely sovereign and will work things out to His perfect will no matter how much I try to make things go my way or the way that seems best to me. He has a purpose and a plan for everything and instead of trying to work things out myself I need to sit back and let God teach me the wonderful lessons He has for me.

This is one of the big things that I have learned and am continuing to learn this year. God is a wonderful God and so full of knowledge and understanding. His way is perfect, and his way is the only way.

Psamls 5:11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.s

Ps 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Ps 62:8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

Ps 115:11 Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.

Pr 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Isa 26:4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.

No Fear

Almost a third of Americans say they have suffered a panic attack. More than one in ten Americans have one or more specific phobias, and an additional two percent suffer from panic disorder each year. These facts show us how fear driven the world is. Fear is looked upon as a sickness or something we can not control. There have been many medications made for people who allow fear to control their lives. There are several different kinds of fears. There is a huge variety of fears, some people are fearful they will loose control of their life while others are fearful of heights. The unregenerate person has nothing to trust in and nothing to rely on; therefore, the unsaved person lives a life of fear. However, the Christian should not live a life that is controlled by fear. Many Christians do not want to fix the root of the problem, because it is easier to deal with fear like the world does. It takes less effort for Christians to agree with the world and take the medications and make excuses for fear. Christians become almost convinced that fear is a sickness and something they can not help. It is hard for Christians to call fear sin, because they know that when they admit something is sin they must next deal with the problem. The Bible says in Psalms 56:4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

God does not want us to be fearful. He wants us to trust in Him completely. When Christians are fearful they are not trusting in God’s sovereign control of everything. They are trying to take things into their own control and forgetting that God has everything planned out perfectly. The verse listed above shows the attitude that Christians should have. God wants us to trust and praise Him; and when we do this it shows Him and the world that we fully believe He is capable to take care of us and all that is around us.

There are several fears that are not of God. One of these fears is the fear of man. People are often scared to stand up and speak in a public place, to be in large groups, to talk to strangers, and there are several other ways that people show their fear of man. Public speaking has always been a high ranking fear. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates at least 5.3 million Americans (almost 4 percent) suffer from a social phobia, an overwhelming anxiety and self-consciousness in social settings. People are fearful of what others may think of them, and of what others may say or do to them.

The Bible addresses this fear in Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

If one puts his trust in the Lord than he will be safe. Christians need to put their trust in the Lord. They need to realize that the result of standing up for what is right and telling others about Christ is in God’s hands and not their own. Christians need to stop having a controlling mindset. They need to put their trust in God and in God alone. God created the world, and He is in complete control of the world, therefore, He can and will take care of his creation perfectly. The best thing for one to do when they are trying to overcome fear is to become the servant of Christ.

Secondly, a fear that is very prominent is a fear of change or the unknown. People are fearful of not knowing the exact circumstance they will have to deal with, they are fearful that something bad may happen to them if they do something out of their comfort zone, and they are fearful that if they change something then they will loose control of the situation. People with this kind of fear are very controlling and selfish.

The bible says in Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

If Christians truly trust the Lord and His word they will have nothing to fear at all. They will know that He will protect them and not give them any situations or circumstances that they can not handle with His help. He is always with them and nothing that happens to them is a surprise to Him. He has planned every detail so that it will bring glory to His holy name. He will be there with them to strengthen and uphold them in the hard times. If one truly believes the bible then he will see this promise God gave as assurance that there is no need to be fearful.

Thirdly, is the fear of trusting in God’s will. Christians many times are fearful of trying to do what is God’s will. They feel as though there is no way that they can do it, like it is to much to accomplish, and many times like it is to hard. Also, they fear that the will of the Lord is not going to be exactly what they want.

The bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

These three spiritual characteristics that God has given Christians will help them to overcome their fears. If they have the spirit of God, then they also have the power of God. They can overcome all of their fears, when Christians realize that they have the great power of God abiding in their hearts. If one is truly a born again Christian they have that power within them to overcome the flesh, therefore they will be able to do what is right.

If a person has the Spirit of God, then they also have the love of God in their heart. If they have the love of God in their heart, then they have nothing to fear; because perfect love casts out fear. Children of God have the love God puts in their hearts, they have every reason to feel absolutely secure in God’s love.

If they have the Spirit of God then they also have the mind of Christ. If a Christian has the mind of Christ then they will become more concerned about eternal things then the trivial fears. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of power, it is the Spirit of love, and it is the Spirit of a sound mind. If one has the Spirit of God abiding their heart, then they have nothing to fear. If they have the mind of Christ then their mind will not be troubled by fear.

While there are many ways that people express fears that are ungodly, there is one way in which it is wrong not to have fear. Some people go on the other extreme and fear absolutely nothing. They do not believe there is a God, this belief allows them to do what ever they wish to do without any consequences to follow. They will mock eternity, morals, and many other things. These people are many times very foolish and make ridiculous choices with their lives.

The Bible also addresses this in Psalms 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

This verse tells us that to fear the Lord is a good thing. For the believer this verse is not telling them to think of God as a mean and unfeeling God that will harm them if they do something wrong, but it is telling them that Christians need to have a reverential fear. The Lord is the creator of all; He is one who made humans and made each one incredibly different from every other. This alone should make Christians realize that they need to view Him with much respect and adoration. Christians need to allow him to do as He wishes with their lives. Having a fear of the Lord that makes one honor and respect Him is good. Christians should live every moment of their life fearing the Lord enough that their main priority is to please Him.

An unbeliever should also fear the Lord. The Lord should be the unbeliever’s greatest fear. A person is in a very dangerous situation if he has no fear of God. Without a fear of God people will make unwise choices about eternity. However, if the unbeliever does fear the Lord then there is a greater possibility for him to come to the point of repentance and salvation. If one fears the Lord they will want to please Him, and they will not want to break His commandments. Fear causes respect; and with this respect, God’s Holy Bible will be read and applied more readily. The fear of the Lord is good for an unbeliever as well as a believer.