“If I do things my way I will be happy. I can’t trust God with something like this!”

“God’s ways are too religious for me, I need to make things happen my way or else I won’t be happy.”

“Only I know what I need. My future is my problem. Jesus can just come along with me for when I need help.”

“This is too precious a thing to trust God with.”

All of these statements are made from people who have distrust in their hearts. God’s power and sovereignty is not real to them. They think they know what is best for them-they know what will make them happy, they know how to get it and they do it on their own terms without God. Sometimes, Christian girls (and men) have things in their lives that they are not willing to relinquish even though they know it goes against what God wants for them.

They think God doesn’t want what they want. They don’t know His motives, (no one does) so they don’t trust that He will make them happy.

Areas of Our Future in Which We Don’t Trust God

I was in a relationship with someone who I found out was not the person God had in mind for me. Even though I heard Him distinctly tell me to end the relationship I was unwilling to let go of what made me happy. I basically was arguing with God and telling Him to leave me alone so I could lead my own life in peace and happiness. I was unwilling to trust God with my future. I didn’t want Him running my life if it didn’t make me happy.

Relationships are one of the hardest things to trust God with. We love so deeply and so easily because there is a lack of love shown to people these days. We want to love and be loved. We cling so tightly to relationships we have and when we notice God “interfering” we freak and say NO! Jesus speaks to us in many different ways. He may tell us “No, this person is not for you” or “This person is not who I want you to be with”-He can tell us this through friends, authorities, His Word, or simply in our prayer and devotion time.

Because we are so scared of God saying “no” to our dreams and desires we miss out on what else He is trying to tell us. He may be saying “No, not this person” and that’s all we hear because we don’t listen to the rest of what He is trying to tell us. “I have something better for you! I have unimaginable blessings and promises in store for your future! What you are unwilling to surrender will harm you and pull you away from me, what I have for you will surpass your deepest longings and desires and bring joy to your heart in ways you never thought possible.” This is what else HE tells us! But all too often we only focus on the NO.

I love this quote about having faith in God and His plan for our futures:

“Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right.”

― Max Lucado

I decided to trust God with my future because I knew that He knows what is best for me. He has a plan for my life and He will bring good from my choice to trust Him.

Circumstances are another area in which we are scared to trust God in.

We may be looking for a job, an answer or solution to a problem, or we make plans that we think are beneficial to our lives. We don’t want to talk to God or ask His opinion on the circumstance because we think He will thwart our plans; He will make us do something we don’t want to do, or we are scared to let go of what we think will bring us happiness.

It’s so sad when we can’t trust our Father with our lives, relationships and circumstances. It reminds me of what Jesus said to His disciples when they were in a storm of their own. The Savior of the world was on their boat and they were in a horrible storm at sea and the disciples were scared! They awoke Jesus and said “Save us, for we perish!” (Matt 8:25)

Jesus was surprised at how afraid and fearful they were. He answered by saying: “’Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?’ Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.” Matthew 8:26

Why do we doubt God’s goodness for our future?
Why were the disciples scared for their lives (futures) when they had the Creator of the world sleeping in their boat? The disciples had Jesus with them-we have Jesus with us, living in us! Why are we scared?

Take a look at what the disciples said after Jesus calmed the storm:
“So the men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’” They marveled at what Jesus had done. Even though they had witnessed Jesus perform countless miracles before this time, they still did not believe Jesus was who He said He was! They said “Who can this be?” Jesus had already told them who He was but they were still scared in the storm!

Jesus has told us who He is, He has performed miracles in our lives. He has taught us many things, He has delivered us from trouble and hardships; yet we still refuse to let Him guide our futures. We don’t believe who He says He is. We don’t believe He will bring goodness from our bad. We don’t believe He will fulfill the promises we see made throughout scripture.

Promises like:

“My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
John 15:7

“In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.”
John 16:23-24

We need to have F. A. I. T. H. in order to really trust God with our futures. Faith. We need to build our faith in God.

Here is an easy way to remember how to help build your faith so that you can trust in Jesus.  

1. Fear of the Lord.
   Fear of the Lord comes from studying God-His character, His attributes, His promises, His might, His power and His glory. Quit focusing on yourself and your life. Fear the Lord and His goodness. Search the Word of God so that you might come to know Him better.
2. Adoration for the Lord.
   Adoring God and recognizing what He has done for you is one of the greatest forms of praise. Adoring and seeking Jesus will make us fall in love with Him. It’s easy to trust someone you love and respect. Adoring God will help you love Him and trusting Him will come easier.
3. Identity in the Lord.
   Seek to make your identity in God. When we choose to make our identity in things of the world we are putting ourselves and things of the world before God. Our identity becomes a warped image of ourselves because we are made in the image of GOD-not in the image of man. Ask God for His thoughts for you, His heart for you, and His mind for you. Make it your new identity.
4. Thankfulness for the Lord.
   When we have thankfulness in our hearts it shines a new light on life, our relationship with the Lord and the way we view our circumstances. Begin thanking the Lord for everything you have in life. It builds trust in Jesus when we are always thankful for what He’s already given us. Stop and thank Him for making you beautiful, thank Him for the stars, for your friends, for your home. When you get started, it’s hard to stop!
5. Hope in the Lord.
   Begin putting your hope in the Lord. Hope in His goodness and His blessings. Stop focusing on the bad and clear your mind so there is more room for hope. Hope builds character and trust in the One who gives us hope.

This is how to build your faith. When your faith is strong and solid and based in the WORD of God, it is easier to let go of what we want-because we will know that God is MORE than enough for us and He will bring us joy in the end. He will be the lasting love of our life. He will be the beginning and end of our true happiness!

I hope this helps and encourages your walk and faith in God. Let me know what you think.

Thank you for reading this. Much love and blessings,
Lisa

“Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.”

Hebrews 10:35-36