To Trust or Not to Trust?

Back in late January, I got a text from my cousin-in-law, wondering if I would be up to surprising our husbands with a surprise visit from them. Our husbands are more like brothers to each other rather than cousins, so it was fun to do this for them.

Long story short, I had a lot of fun torturing my husband with what his surprise was going to be. He would guess or make suggestions, and I would just smile and say, "guess you'll find out." Well after a month or so, he got frustrated with hearing that. Sometimes he would laugh with me when I'd say it or he would growl and glare.

Well the night before the big surprise was to take place, he got really frustrated with me because he wanted to know what he should pack. (He thought we were flying somewhere and I just let him think that--cruel I know).

"Don't worry about what to pack. I will tell you what you need to do when it's time. Just don't worry; TRUST me that I will tell you when you need to know," I said calmly.

Well, since he wasn't feeling well, and he had been hearing don't worry for almost 2 months, he got really cranky and growled that it would be nice to know what type of packing he needed to do. He's one of those guys that doesn't like to do things at the last minute.

Feeling hurt that he couldn't just trust me, I went upstairs to cool down. While seperating the laundry, he came upstairs and apologized. I told him, "You just have to trust me that I will tell you when its the right time."

He grumbled again as to why he couldn't at least know what to pack, and I got huffy and hurt again. "Didn't you just apologize for this same issue? Why are we having this argument again? You just have to trust me."

After he huffed his way out of the room, I suddenly had an understanding as to how God feels when we come to Him with our grumbling and complaining about something we are worried about.

See, I knew what the surprise was. Jon didn't need to pack at all because his family was coming to him. There was no reason to worry. But it hurt that he couldn't trust me in the fact that I would tell him when the time was right what he needed to do.

I am sure God feels the same way when we get frustrated with His responses:

"God I don't have the money to pay this bill."

"Be still and know that I am God."

"What God? That doesn't make me feel better about the bill that I don't have money for. How does knowing that you are God and being still, help me out with paying the bill?"

"For I know the plans I have for you....plans to prosper you and not to harm you...."

"Ok, Ok, I get it, God. You want me to trust You---that You will provide the funds I need for this bill. I trust you God. I do."

Two days later.....

"God, still not seeing the provisions for this bill. The due date is tomorrow! I'm trying to trust you but I haven't seen any kind of provison."

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding....."

"Sorry, Lord...sorry. I did it again. Oh look what came in the mail! A check for an overpayment I made last month. Wow, God....you are so awesome!"

Does that sound familiar to any of you? It does me! Because I have had that conversation with the Lord so many times for so many different reasons. But now I have an understanding of what God must feel like when we don't put our FULL trust in Him. God sees the big picture. He knows what's going to happen waaaaay before we ever do. He knows the outcome for every situation we encounter, He knows our needs and wants even before we know what we need or want.

So I just want to encourage those of you who are having a hard time trusting Him. He CAN be trusted. But His time line is different than ours. His is the better time line and His answers are the better answers than the ones we could ever come up with. He knows whats best and He knows just the right time to reveal something to us. Or to answer a prayer we've been praying for so long. It will be answered in His way, in His time. Which is for our best.

Here are some verses regarding trust:

"But I will trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation." Psalms 13:5

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." Psalms 20:7

"To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in You I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me." Psalms 25:1-2

"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalms 37: 3-4

"When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?" Psalms 56:3-4

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song." Psalms 28:7

"Trust in Him at ALL times, O people, pour out your hearts to Him; for God is our refuge." Psalm 62:8

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

I hope you all have a wonderful Spring break if that is coming up for you!

Love in Christ Jesus,
Alyssa