Trust

"Moments in life and experiences catch us off guard and yet in these dark times or dark hours of our soul are supposed to be the richest sounds of our melodies and we don't really understand that. We think that God's left us when actually we're composing our greatest symphony." Rita Springer

I read this quote today on Facebook, and it really struck a chord in me. I found myself continually going back to it and rereading it. Each time I would try to argue with its logic. It seems almost cruel that God would use tragedy and heartache in this way, but then I finally saw it from another perspective.

There are things that we go through, the most difficult times in life when we feel as though we're drowning and cannot bear to take one more breath. But God has not orchestrated these things. He does, however, allow them. But He has not allowed those things in our lives simply to torture us. At those times when tragedy does hit, it is then that we truly realize how much we need Him. The moments we are at our weakest is when He is strong. The devil will throw things at us that we do not think we can handle. But when we allow God to use those things, He can turn those situations all for our good. The greatest testimonies I have heard that have touched me the most have all been filled with heartache and pain. No two are the same, but each individual has had to persevere through situations that they did not understand. And it was in making that choice, the choice to trust God and His plan, no matter what they saw or the pain they felt, it was then that they began to shine. Their lives become a rainbow. You cannot get a rainbow unless there has been rain. After the storm hits and the dust has settled, we have to choose how we are going to react. Are we going to point the finger back at God in anger and blame, or are we going to raise our hands in surrender as an act of trust, knowing that He can make everything work out in our benefit.

This trust is a daily choice. It is not usually something that comes naturally or even necessarily easily. It is a choice that no matter the pain and no matter the circumstances, I believe there is a God who loves me and who will not give me more than I can bear. When you realize that you don't have to do it in your own strength, but rather that He is your strength, the load just seems so much lighter. But each day, you have to make that choice. Each morning when you wake up, saying, "Lord, I choose to trust you today. I know you have a plan for me. And I know that despite what I'm feeling and what's going on around me, You are in control. You have it all worked out. I trust in You."

It seems so simple, and yet, it can be one of the most difficult things. I am by nature a control freak and a worrier. And so this goes against everything I feel inside most of the time. Because to trust is to give up control. Because I can't control things if I'm trusting God to. Only one of us can, and frankly, He does a much better job of it than I do. Believe me, I've tried. The results are...well, you don't even want to know! Let's just say, He knows what He's doing. But despite my track record, everything inside of me still wars to be in control. And so making that daily choice to trust God, especially when things are not looking too good, can can be extremely difficult. In fact, some days it seems that it is impossible. But those are the days when I need to do it the most. Because when things are dark and I just want to try and fix them, that is when I can truly mess them up. If I would just learn to trust Him in everything, it wouldn't be such a problem. But it's all a growing process. No one is perfect. But it would certainly be nice to be.

So my challenge is to daily trust God with all things, the big and the small, the happy and the sad. No matter the circumstances around us, no matter how things look or feel, making that choice to praise Him anyway. To thank Him simply for another breath, another day here on Earth, and another chance to try again. To trust in Him plan for us instead of our own. To ask Him to be our strength each and every day.