Resting in Trust
God, what does it look like for me to trust you today? Amen.
That is the prayer I offer to God almost every morning.
I'm trusting God FOR his answer.
I'm also trusting God WITH his answer.
Two little words — two BIG different realities.
And those realities are often beyond my human imaginings.
Philippians 3 talks about the SURPASSING WORTH of knowing Jesus. (verse 8). The fruit of knowing Jesus invites me to experience the fruit of the Spirit, those qualities described in Galatians 5:22 and 23, and to trust and rest in God's character. Each of those qualities can be defined in big, surpassing terms. Truly, the fruit of the Spirit surpasses my human understanding. I'm learning that God's answers to my daily prayer offer big surprises. My prayer life is challenged!
LOVE — Ephesians 3:19 says that God's love SURPASSES knowledge. So, the only way I can know whether I'm resting in and trusting his love is by experiencing it. That leads me to a new request: God, please let me be aware of your love. What, in my experience, is showing You love today?
JOY — Gabriel announcing the gospel in the familiar scripture, Luke 2:10, calls it GREAT joy. Almost daily, I pray for 10 different friends who are battling cancer. Can I rest in and trust that God's answer is providing great joy for them and me with his will.
PEACE — “And the peace of God, which SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7. Again, that word “surpassing.” Trusting God and resting in his answers means trusting that, in my humanity, I'm not going to get it.
KINDNESS — Titus 3:4-5 sheds light on God's kindness. It is LOVING kindness, and it is a result of his mercy. Mercy, God has no obligation to offer it. He shares his loving kindness because he shares his character. When I pray, “God, what would it look like to trust you today?” I am humbled. He is answering out of loving-kindness, motivated by His mercy.
PATIENCE — Paul speaks of God's patience displayed in Jesus as PERFECT patience.
I Timothy 1:16. As I type, I'm sitting on an airplane soaring home to Colorado. I should have prayed this morning to rest in and trust God with patience as I connected with different air travel realities. My patience was far from perfect.
GOODNESS — Zechariah 9:17 also calls God's goodness GREAT, “For how great is his goodness…” I often struggle with understanding God's goodness. Is it good that two of my friends' children are struggling with epilepsy? It sure doesn't seem so. But as I pray for Luke and Anna, I'm asking God to show his great goodness.
FAITHFULNESS — Psalm 91:4 describes God's faithfulness as a SHIELD. A shield offers protection. In praying to trust God FOR his answers and WITH his answers, I’m praying for his faithful protection. And I'm learning to rest. I need to be reminded.
GENTLENESS — Jesus describes himself as GENTLE. “I am gentle.” (Matthew 11:29) The root of Jesus's gentleness is his inherited nature. In being gentle, he is being himself. And his gentleness leads to rest. Trusting leads to rest.
SELF-CONTROL — Throughout the gospels, Jesus demonstrates self-control. Or possibly another way to say it is, he is trusting and resting in God's control. Matthew 4 is the best example. Jesus is in the wilderness. Satan is testing; Jesus is trusting. His trust led to angels ministering to him. He rested in God's truth.
Trust is resting in God's character, which always surpasses my human comprehension:
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:16
My prayer life is changing. What about yours? “When we are settled in God's love at the core of our being, the waters of the soul become much clearer.” (Invitation to Solitude and Silence, Ruth Haley Barton)
PRAYER
Father, help me to confidently trust in the rest You provide. I want to know You. I want the reality of love that surpasses knowledge, peace that surpasses understanding, and the other fruit of the Spirit to be my reality. Amen.
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Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.
Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.
