Trusting God

TRUST GOD! When facing a trial or hardship, almost all followers of Christ have been given that advice; and it is usually given by someone who genuinely cares for us. For me, the authenticity of the admonition is never an issue; however, applying it to a situation that I am facing is another story. My tendency to waffle instead of obey is the problem. In today’s blog, I will recount a time when God, not a fellow believer, called me to trust him in a situation that threatened to shatter my very life. An exhortation from Paul provided insight that allowed me to understand that obedience to God flows out of a conviction that God can be trusted, even in the darkest hours of life: 

For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory (2 Corinthians 1:20 NLT).

Prayer Emphasis – Prior to the spring of 2017

As Linda’s symptoms progressed from a minor inconvenience to an unwelcome fog that dominated every facet of our lives; my prayers moved from polite requests to persistent and consistent intercession. Never one to do anything halfheartedly, it is not an exaggeration to say that I spent dozens, if not hundreds, of hours praying for her to be healed. In order to make sure that my faith rested upon biblical truth, I revisited the scriptural references supporting healing that I had believed, taught and preached throughout my ministry. Additionally, I read books that focused on God’s power and desire to heal his people; and I sought understanding by studying the great healing crusades of the past, as well as the lives of the men and women who led them. Simply put, in my mind, I covered all the bases.

Prayer Emphasis – After the spring of 2017

In the spring of 2017, the fog of dementia was continuing to descend upon Linda at an unprecedented rate, creating uncertainty about what I should do next. So, I determined, in the midst of the chaos, to increase my efforts to secure an answer from God. At that point, I did not understand that God had been speaking; however, my preconceived ideas as to how he would answer had short – circuited my capacity to hear him.

Then, I experienced an amazing breakthrough that transformed my thinking, and ultimately my life. In the early morning hours, Linda was sleeping in our bedroom; and I was at the other end of the house, lying on the floor in the hallway. God very clearly impressed upon my heart: “I love Linda more than you do. She is mine, and you are to entrust her to me.” As the truth sank in, I began the process of surrendering my will to God’s. In the coming weeks and months, two things became increasingly clear: First, he planned to heal her in heaven and not on earth. Secondly, he intended to continue transformation in the two of us, and suffering was a part of that process.  Slowly, it became clear to me that my years of intercession for her healing were not based on what was best for Linda. Instead, it was all about me; I did not want to give her up; I wanted things to be as they had been in the past! 

In many ways, the lyrics from a song, recorded by The Bellamy Brothers in 1985, depicted my struggle; and, if I had not surrendered, my destiny:

He’s an old hippie; And he don’t know what to do!
Should he hang on to the old? Should he grab on to the new?
He’s an old hippie. This new life is just a bust.
He ain’t trying to change nobody; He’s just trying real hard to adjust…

Thankfully, God revealed to me that living in his will is never about being anchored to the past. Neither is it about adjusting to our circumstances. Rather, it is about transformation:

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect (Romans 12: 1,2 NLT).

In the midst of the present pandemic, civil unrest and political upheaval; perhaps my struggle, surrender, and victory outline a path forward for the church in America.