Happy is the man who trusts in The Lord. Psalm 40:4
Happy is the one who never loses faith in me. Matthew 11:6
What words come to mind when you think of being happy? Probably you think of peace, serenity, security, trust. We naturally desire these. And yet, while we all seek happiness, we so easily put ourselves in fretful situations where we are sure not to find it!
There were certainly times when trust is a challenge. In my cancer journey I was quite familiar with Romans 14:8: Live or die, I win because Jesus is Lord. But what about the in between time when it seems, this is not real living nor death? That’s when trust is harder, isn’t it? In those times we worry, we fret, we analyze and try to sketch an escape route from our pain. We fight to gain control over what we can never control. We are anything but happy.
Sometimes hearing a certain diagnosis brings people so quickly to the very end of their rope they desperately reach out to grasp the only faithful hand, God’s. Others suddenly come to the awareness of the truth of God in such a resilient way, they trust Him inherently. Some who have not built trust in God during times of plenty find it immensely difficult to trust Him in times when everything seems taken away. But it is possible.
Big faith or small, we build on the measure of faith given to us. (Romans 12:3) Our trust in people is earned in small measures at first, isn’t it? As you come to trust someone consistently in small ways, that trust grows to bear the weight of heavier matters. Someone who has been faithful in great things bears your deeper trust. And so it is with God. If we can trust “He who did not spare His own Son but gave him freely for us” (Romans 8:32) can’t we trust Him for our daily challenges? If you trust Him with your eternal life, doesn’t it make sense to believe His Word to be true for today’s struggles?
If you find it hard to trust God for the outcomes of your problems, look to a moment at a time when you found Him faithful. Ask Him to show Himself to you and trust Him for a glimpse of His greatness. You don’t have to endure your whole life right now. Trust Him to honor His word to give you grace, one moment at a time. It will be an imperfect and awkward dance if you are not used to it. It will seem that you are always wanting to take the lead. But trust a little. And as you find assurance, trust some more. Let God build your trust and find a certain contented happiness that satisfies more than what we find in this world.