Updates and Thoughts on How Can I Know I’m Trusting God?

Thank you for your prayers for me.

I saw the surgeon this morning and will be seeing two oncologists—one for advising on taking a hormone inhibitor and another, a radiation oncologist, about having radiation.

The “tumor board” wants me to have one or the other. My third possible choice is to do neither. So Larry and I will need lots of wisdom. Thanks for praying along with us!

How Can I Know I’m Trusting God?

Throughout this journey, I’ve examined my heart daily in order to grow in my trust in God. As a result, I began asking myself, “How can I know I’m trusting God?” It’s been a fascinating topic. Of course, not a new one as we are always wondering that very thing during our spiritual journeys, right?

So here’s some scattered thoughts.

Feelings can be fickle and don’t necessarily indicate to what degree I’m trusting God. My feelings seemed at times to run away with me even though I’m trusting God by reciting truths, quoting Scriptures and requesting prayer…even in the midst of being completely assured in my mind that God knows exactly what He’s doing.

But God made me human and He gives us flight or fight responses that arise automatically. My heart might beat harder and I might wake up in the night thinking and sometimes feeling panicked.

I’ve valued more than ever using exercise along with prayer to deal with the natural human responses. So I’m more assured than ever that feelings don’t always indicate our spiritual pulse. We should use them as possible indicators but they aren’t always dependable.

Along with examining feelings, is making a choice to repeat truths even though there’s no immediate result. Second Corinthians 10:5 is one of my favorite verses: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

I’ve often told you how taking every thought captive is like seeing each thought as an arrow coming toward our minds and hearts. We need to grab ahold of that thought and examine it and ask, “Is this the truth?” If it’s not, I can then throw it away. Reject it and think of the truth. If it is truth, I can receive it and meditate upon it. Of course, the truths of the Bible are the key.

Does it align with biblical truth and especially about who God is–in truth?!

That leads to the third thought. Depending upon who God is as described in the Bible is absolutely a primary brick in the building of trust. I’ve mentioned this before. Regardless of circumstances or anything else, God will continue to be good, righteous, loving, kind, gracious, merciful, faithful, and yes, wrathful against evil and sin. His wrath is a part of His goodness because it refers to Him being just. I try to remember, “What does this thought say about who God is?” If it is in alignment with God’s nature, then I can welcome the thought and know I’m trusting God.

Finally, God loves me. When I’m rehearsing that He loves me, I know I’m trusting God. I trust God because God loves me and wants the best for me. The world system says love means everything going well and no struggles. The world system says God is only loving if what happens is the way I think it should be. He knows what is best and there are so many verses that say He does allow difficulties and trials. Just for one is:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4 NIV).

I know I’m trusting God when I focus on believing God wants to use my struggles for my maturity and growth–and for His glory.

So there’s some off-the-cuff ideas. If you have additional thoughts, I’d love to hear them.

As I said so many many times before, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate knowing you are praying and you care about me. You care about Larry and our family. Certainly, whatever and whenever trust has consumed me, your prayers have contributed. The Apostle Paul wrote, “…for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.” (Philippians 1:19). At the least, my deliverance means fighting the fears of the enemy and taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

Thank you! I love you!