by Muriel Larson
**Are you living with a secret which is distracting you from a life of trusting in God? http://thelife.com/study/behindmasks.html?section=behindmask
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me”—Jesus (John 14:1).
“I love you, Mommy; but I love God better. He’s the greatest!” my eight-year-old daughter Lori told me. Even though I had tenderly cared for her all her life, she had also come to have such great faith in the Lord that she loved Him better than anyone on earth. She had just received Him as her Savior.
She also said, “I wish I could go to heaven now while I’m little so I could sit on Jesus’ lap!”
No wonder the Lord Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4).
Life Lesson: Biblical perspective on the end times
Experience It: Walk in the power of the Holy Spirit
LET GO – LET GOD
Shortly before Jesus was crucified, He fortified His disciples with many teachings and assurances. His discourse gave us one of the greatest passages in the Bible: John chapters 14-17. And it began with one of the greatest exhortations, found in John 14:1 (See above.)
Oh, the hearts of so many people in this world, even Christians, are troubled! They are full of anxiety, oppressed by depression and worry. But Jesus said, “Now stop it. Let go of all that anxiety. Trust in God! Trust also in me!”
LETTING GO OF THE PAST
Unfortunately, many can’t seem to trust in God because of past experiences they have had with human beings. It’s a good thing the Lord didn’t judge things on that basis! The crowds followed Him, listened to Him speak, saw Him heal people and do miracles. Later many people picked up rocks to stone Him, cried for his blood before Pilate, jeered at Him as He hung on the cross in order to wash their sins away.
Later, the religious leader Saul led a crowd to stone to death Stephen, one of Christ’s great followers. Saul started a crusade to jail and kill Christians. And on the road to Damascus Jesus reached down, lifted him up, opened his spiritual eyes—and called him to become one of His greatest missionaries of all time–and gave him a new name: Paul.
Many backslidden Christians think that God won’t help them because of the kind of lives they have led. Not so! The Bible says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
And while we’re at it, in order to have Christ’s perfect peace, we need to obey the Lord and forgive all those who hurt us. He can help us do that too.
If we take our eyes off of human beings, and look up trustingly to the Lord, He will forgive, help, and heal us—and use us for His glory.
As the grand old hymn says,
Trust and obey—For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, But to trust and obey.
Questions: How can we forget all the bad things that happened to us or the bad things we did? How can we steadfastly trust in the Lord with all our hearts?
About the Author: http://talk.thelife.com/experience/devotionalforwomen/authors/muriel-larson/
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We have to remember that our rightousness is as ‘filthy rags’ and it’s not by our own works that we’re saved but rather by God’s grace. We have all sinned and our actions don’t surprise God. He’s not sitting on the throne shocked by our lack of morals. He knows us intimately but still loves us. Who wouldn’t serve a God like that? and with all that we go through He is still willing to love us. Thank God His mercy is new every morning…I need it!
We can trust in the Lord with all our hearts by looking to Jesus. He is the one that will never let us fall and promises to be with us each step of the way. I have had to do this more so lately as I have such a new desire to help people as I have recently begun walking much closer with the Lord. My husband does not understand this. Please pray with me for him (Mike) that God will let him see that I have this desire to do this only for the advancement of God’s kingdom. I know God is truly working in both of our lives today and will keep us in his perfect peace. Praise Jesus for this and all blessings! Amen.
It is a true fact that when we put our trust in the Lord with our faith like a little child’s, the results we get are astounding, but being human it is no wonder that we turn into doubting Thomases.
My prayer is that the father himself give us grace to be trusting and leave our life to him to run and direct.
May we continue to live in his plan and will for us his own bought with his redeeming blood.
THIS DEVOTIONAL IS SO RIGHT TODAY LOOK TO JESUS. THAT IS THE WAY TO GO.
CHRIS T.
I don’t know that we ever totally forget all the bad things that happen to us but time heals and also with Gods help we learn not to dwell on them. If they are things I have done well I have to claim and believe Gods word when he says He forgives & forgets my sins and they are to be remembered no more and are as far as the east is from the west. I Have to Believe & Know that God is In Total Control of My Life to totally trust Him. I know that Nothing Good or Bad doesn’t happen to me without passing by Jesus first. Never, Never does He say Whoops that wasn’t suppose to happen to Linda! God has Total Control Of Everything that happens to me & I know He will Never Leave Me or Forsake Me, Never!!! And I can say that because when my first husband passed away & 15yrs later when my teenage daughter passed away as much as it hurt and I missed them and wanted them back I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was God’s timing for them to go to be with Him. He didn’t make a mistake, it was His perfect timing. Hugs Linda!
It takes much more courage to live, than wish you wer in heaven already. To know that He has this wonder for us when he takes us home is the stabilizing factor, but it is in the living that we prove our love and our gratefulness .
I have learned that one of the best ways that I have been able to forget about the bad things that had happened in my life was to bring them out into the light. As hard as it was, it was well worth it for had i continued to hide the painful memories from my past within me such never allowed me to let go of them.
Writing a memior in regards to it all was such a beneficial healing tool. Even though such book may never be published, that’s ok for it has been a blessing for me in dealing with the past.
As those bad memories came out of me during such times while working on that book,it has allowed the LORD’S love to invade those once dark and hurting places that existed inside of me that no one else could see except for the one whom made me.
Often, I feel like such a little girl when i am in prayer and/or reading my bible. A feeling that a grown women could only experience when she taps into ABBA above.
Barbara C
YES WE MUST TRUST IN THE LORD
When we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful to forgive us! God says so, and that’s it! :D If I do not believe that God could possibly forgive ‘my’ sin, that it is way too grievous for His pardon, then I call Him a liar! Or, if I say that “God may forgive me, but I can’t forgive myself,” then I’m basically saying that my standards are higher than God’s! God knows our hearts, and when we confess our sins with a contrite spirit, He has promised to take those sins and cast them into the sea! (Micah 7:19) His mercy is without equal!
Debra, it is so wonderful that you have drawn closer to the Lord and your heart desires to ‘help others!’ That is a beautiful reflection of your deepening faith and love for God’s people. :) Would your husband like to be included in your ministry outreach? Could he be feeling displaced by your growing interest in serving? If so, perhaps inviting him to share this ministry with you might help him feel less threatened. God bless!
Forgiveness is a tough one. First we accept Jesus dying on the cross and resurrection as our free ticket out. Then we get hurt by people in general which hardens our heart and make us believe that God, our Heavenly Father, is not trustworthy like the people in our lives who are supposed to be there for us. What a situation! I like the truth of God’s Word that says that if I continue to “keep my eyes on Jesus, pray and seek Him” He will help me and heal me from the insides out. I will obey God and forgive 70 times 7 those who hurt me. Even though I dont feel like it, my only concern is obedience to God. Thank you for this inspiring journal today, it made me do some self reflection in my personal situation. Forgiveness frees me up emotionally. Removes the wall of sin and bitterness which blocks my ability to hear from God. Bless you ladies. Hyacinth
Hyacinth . . . what a beautiful name! :) Just as you have found, forgiveness is difficult, particularly when the offender is unrepentent and continues to hurt. But, I would encourage you, Hyacinth, to accept the reality that people, by their very nature, are sinful, and are bound to disappoint you when you place your faith in them. Even Christians let each other down. God, alone, is worthy of your trust, and He will not betray you nor forsake you! We are not capable of forgiving, as God asks us to, without the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. His Spirit in us enables us to forgive the unforgivable, and love the unlovable. God bless!
At times that is all that we can do is trust in his word – knowing that only God can heal, and deliver us from past/present hurts and sins, and walk in obedience which is not always easy. I find that coming before the Lord with an open heart confessing my weaknesses on a daily basis releases me to walk in his strength and might. I agree with Marilyn, that the power of the Holy Spirit who teaches and enables us to walk in forgiveness and releases us to love God’s people in a way in which we sometimes do not understand! In doing so, we find peace.
Thank you all for the devotionals and comments, it has been inspirational and encouraging.
God bless you and keep you in his perfect peace.