Trust God in Your Blessings
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If I were to ask you what are the most precious things in your life, what would you say? I assume most of you would immediately name your family, friends, or loved ones. Okay, now move beyond those fairly obvious answers. What is next on the list? Think in terms of both tangible and non-tangible things. For example, some people may list tangible things like homes, jobs, church, etc. Think also of less tangible things–dreams, ambitions, careers, hobbies, etc.
I ask these questions because they are questions I’ve been asking myself the last couple of days. What is really important to me? What keeps getting me up in the morning and gives me motivation? What do I spend my days thinking about? God has been extremely good to me. I have a wonderful family. I have a good job. I have more material possessions than I need. In addition, I have dreams, hopes, skills, gifts, a good mind, and good health.
Sometimes when we have all these good things it actually becomes more difficult to trust God because we begin to depend on the “things” of our lives. We no longer have a need to lean on God. We might say we trust God, but we can’t be certain we really do because we have no reason to. In fact, those things that are most precious to us often prevent us from trusting.
Do you remember the troubling story of God asking Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac? Isaac was his precious son, Abraham’s heir, the son through whom God promised a nation. Abraham had waited years for this son. Isaac was the apple of his eye. Yet God asked him to sacrifice this precious son. What if this request was made of you? That is, what if God came to you tonight and asked you to sacrifice, to give up, that which is most precious to you? Could you do it? Would you do it?
“God would never ask me to really sacrifice my child or a loved one?” you may respond. Perhaps not, but what if God asked you to sacrifice or give up the most important dream of your life? What if God asked you to sacrifice your career or your home or your savings account? What if God came to you tonight and said, “I want you to sacrifice this very precious thing to me, and trust me that I’ll take care of you”?
Trust involves the willingness to place all that we are and all that we have at the feet of God and trust that God will care for us. Real trust is the firm belief that God will provide what we need even in the absence of those things we rely on for our happiness and success. Abraham, no doubt, anguished over this unthinkable request from God. Despite the huge sacrifice required of him, he proceeded in faith, believing that God would work things out. Abraham didn’t have a clue how things would turn out, yet he still went forward with a resolve to trust God.
I must continually examine my ability to trust. I do this by taking a serious look at all that’s important to me and placing them at the feet of Jesus. I say to God, “These things are you, and I am willing to do with them whatever you instruct me to do.” Saying those things and actually following through with those things are the difference between pretend trust and real trust. I must continually remind myself that God sacrificed his most precious son for me. When I respond by demonstrating my willingness to give up the most precious thing in my life, then I am demonstrating my trust in God and simultaneously showing God my love.
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