Trust During Trials
“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.” – Psalm 36:7 (NKJV)
Years ago, when our family was visiting Atlanta for a wedding, our teenage daughter became ill with a fever and abdominal pain. When she hadn’t improved the next morning, I shared my worry with my husband—that she had appendicitis.
We took her immediately to a nearby hospital where the surgeon on duty confirmed my suspicion and recommended surgery within an hour or so. My husband and I turned to each other and said the same thing: “Should we take her home to our town hospital?” We knew the doctors there and trusted them.
The surgeon in Atlanta looked at us, though, as if corn cobs had sprouted out of our ears. Going home would mean a five-hour drive over the mountains, risking a ruptured appendix for her. Even though we weren’t familiar with Atlanta, we could see we’d arrived in a nice-looking facility with a seasoned physician, someone who would routinely perform appendectomies. And, the operating room was available.
“Okay,” we said reluctantly. “Schedule the surgery here.” We signed the documents and prayed as our beloved daughter was wheeled out of the exam room. Her procedure was successful, and we drove her home gently the next day. Afterward, we thanked God for answering our prayers. He provided a competent physician at just the right time.
Most decisions in life involve some level of trust. You and I trust pharmacists, first responders, airline pilots, farmers, and more with our health and safety. We trust bankers, bridge builders, plumbers, food servers, and government leaders to do their jobs well. We trust our pastors and mentors to tell us the truth.
Many times, though, we trust too much in ourselves...our money, our strength, our friends, our smarts. We think God’s too busy to manage things for us. Or He’s taking too long. We like to take matters into our own hands.
Then, when things blow up in our faces, God shows us how much we need to trust Him. This is so true in circumstances where we have no authority in the first place. It’s as if we’re trying to fix explosives or high-voltage power lines without any training.
The good news is that we’re children of a trustworthy God. We can trust our powerful King with our lives, our loved ones, and our future.
What does that look like? When we pray, we listen for His guidance. When He calls us to act, we obey. When we need resources or opportunities, we rely on Him to provide what we cannot. And, we submit completely to His outcome.
In following His pathway, there is sweet peace through the trials. Our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, hears our prayers, comforts us in the valley of the shadow of death, and gives us hope for the journey ahead.
Friend, in the decisions you face today, go straight to Jesus. Lean on His love as you learn to trust Him alone for everything. Come boldly to His throne, and you’ll find His grace to uphold you in every time of need.
Questions for Reflection:
- Have you ever put your complete trust in something or someone? Did you experience a letdown?
- Have you put your complete trust in Jesus Christ? If not, why not?
