Thursday, July 5, 2018

Be Honest With God: Tell Him If You Don't Trust Him

"9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

"10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." (Psalm 139: 9-10)



This verse is pretty compelling.

Essential, David declares that the more we try to run from God, the closer that we get to Him!

People who try to run from God, who don't want to believe in Him, but at the same time resist and fight against Him, are actually demonstrating faith in Him.

They recognize His existence.

But faith is about so much more, that we believe He is a rewarder:

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)

Now, if we are facing hard times, it's OK to admit to God that we don't trust Him, or at least that we are not sure He can accomplish a great work in our lives and in our times.

Abram asked God how He was going to grant him a grand inheritance:

"2And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?" (Genesis 15:2)

God didn't get angry with Abram, but showed him the stars in the heavens. Then God cut a covenant with Himself (through His Son Jesus) to affirm His promise.

"17And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces." (Genesis 15:17)

Let's fast-forward to the days of the prophets. Jeremiah was particularly skeptical about God's restoring the Israelites to their land, even while the Babylonians were surrounding Jerusalem.

Yet God instructed Jeremiah to redeem land from one of his relatives. Jeremiah praised God, and he acknowledged the great things that God has done for His people, and then he saw the terrible things that they had done to break their covenant with God.  After all of this, Jeremiah's concerns pierced through:

"24Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it. 25And thou hast said unto me, O Lord GOD, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans." (Jeremiah 32: 24-25)

God did not shut down Jeremiah, but reminded him of who He is:

"26Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, 27Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:26-27)

Is anything too hard for God?

Be honest with God, that you are struggling to believe that He can accomplish what you need in your life.

Jesus brought His faith in to assist the faith of a father distraught over his son:

"22and many times also it cast him into fire, and into water, that it might destroy him; but if thou art able to do anything, help us, having compassion on us.’ 23And Jesus said to him, ‘If thou art able to believe! all things are possible to the one that is believing;’ 24and immediately the father of the child, having cried out, with tears said, ‘I believe, sir; be helping mine unbelief.’" (Mark 9:22-24, Youngs)

Jesus is always believing, even when we struggle to believe. God knows our frail state, and He understands our weaknesses.

But that does not mean we cannot run to Him:



"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:15-16)

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