Trust In God
“I still remember the days I prayed for what I have now.”
This is a saying I have seen over the years, and every time I read it, it makes me stop and say a prayer of thanks to God.
You see, like many, I have prayed over the years for the life I have now. My life looks a bit different than what I prayed for exactly, and the timeline was not my own, but I know God’s hand has been on my life the whole time. He has been faithful in my life. As I am typing this, I am on my day off from work in the medical field, sitting at my husband’s desk, pregnant with our first child. All things I was never sure would come to pass in my life. I prayed for many years to get into graduate school, to find the man God had in store for me, and then to have children. God has been faithful to me. My life is not perfect, but I trust in God and am joyful.
I have prayers I am currently praying, that I know in a few years when I see the above saying again, I will thank God for answering in His way.
We recently sang a song at church called, ‘Trust in God,’ by Elevation Worship. Some lines of the song are from Fanny Crosby’s classic hymn, ‘Blessed Assurance.’
The lyrics go like this:
“Blessed assurance
Jesus is mine
He’s been the fourth man in the fire time after time
Born of His Spirit
Washed in His blood
And what He did for me on calvary is more than enough.
I trust in God
My Savior
The one who will never fail
He will never fail
Perfect submission
All is at rest
I know the author of tomorrow has ordered my steps
So this is my story
And this is my song
I’m praising my risen King and Savior all the day long
I sought the Lord and He heard and He answered
I sought the Lord and He heard and He answered
I sought the Lord and He heard and He answered
That’s why I trust Him, that’s why I trust Him”
This song tells of having a personal relationship with God, being born again, washed in the blood, having God as the author and finisher of our story, and trusting in Jesus our Savior (references in scripture can all be found in the books of Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Hebrews, 1&2 Corinthians, Philippians, the Gospels, and many others in the Bible). It also references the book of Daniel 3 and how there was a fourth man walking in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
In Daniel 3:15-18, King Nebuchadnezzar is irate that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will not serve his gods or image of gold. He questions them asking, “Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” The three reply, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (emphasis mine).
As we know, this made Nebuchadnezzar even more furious, and he ordered the three to be thrown in the furnace, only to be saved by the Lord God. The three had sought God, and they knew He had heard them. They trusted that they would receive an answer from God for their faithfulness, whether it was on Earth or in Heaven.
God’s promises are true and He tells us that if we seek Him we will find Him. However, I would like to point out - although God promises to answer us when we seek Him, it may not be in the timeframe of our choosing or how we think something should happen. Why? Well, because God is God. He is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient (all powerful, all present, and all knowing), and these characteristics are too wonderful and too lofty for us to attain (Psalm 139, Genesis 1).
Are you going through something and you need God to answer? Trust in Him and know if you seek Him, you will find Him. The answers may be what you hoped for, and you can say, “I still remember the days I prayed for what I have now.” But if the answers look different than you expected or you do not like the outcome, we trust in God. Just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we will say, “And even if not, He is still good.” We trust Him no matter what. God is the author of our tomorrows; He hears us and answers us.
Reflection
Read and journal your thoughts using the truth of God’s Word as a guide:
Psalm 34:4 - I sought the Lord, and he answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 - “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Hebrews 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
Proverbs 8:17 - I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Whitney can be described by the opening lyrics of a few Tom Petty songs. She's a good girl who grew up in a small Indiana town who loves her mama, Jesus, and America, too. She practices medicine as a physician assistant at an urgent care, and is a certified health coach. Whitney is a music enthusiast and leads worship at her church. She has a heart for people, and wants to help young girls and women find their worth in Christ rather than what the world says of them. Whitney loves a good dad joke, Southern manners, holistic wellness, attempting macrame crafts, and hiking and traveling with her husband, Alex, and their dog, Milly.