“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” (Psalm 62:5-8 NIV)
Recently, my wife and I needed to make a decision that posed some financial risks. We had been praying and talking about it for a couple of weeks. When the time approached for a definitive “yes” or “no,” we talked about the Lord’s faithfulness in taking care of our needs. It was easy to remember the countless times when we had some type of need and the Lord provided. Yet, in the moment of facing any big decision or great need, there is doubt.
It is easy to talk about trusting God when there is not much at stake for us. When we’re healthy, it is easy to tell others to “just trust in God.” When we have a job with benefits, it is easy to feel secure and proclaim God’s faithfulness to provide. When we are in a carefree period in our lives, it is easy to tell others not to worry.
The true test of our faith, however, is when things really are on the line, when the stakes are high—graduating with no prospect of a job, a medical diagnosis, the death of a loved one. For us, risking a significant amount of money for a longer-term gain. After much discussion and prayer, we were at peace to go forward, to take the risk. The peace and courage comes from our trust in the Lord. We did our due diligence in seeking wisdom and guidance and then we took the step of faith that, by definition, the results of which could not be known beforehand.
We took that step of faith because we know the Lord is faithful to provide for us. It is not in His nature to lead us down a blind alley where bad things will happen to us. Time and time again throughout the Scriptures, we see God’s faithfulness to do good to those who love Him. In fact, He even does good to those who hate Him (Matthew 5:45; Luke 6:35). As the Hebrew writer says: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)
Today, be assured in whatever situation you may find yourself, the Lord is faithful and worthy of your trust. You may not know how things are going to work out, but you can have confidence they will result in your good. That’s just who God is and how He works.
© Jim Musser 2014
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