"Do You Trust Me With Your Heart?"
This is something that has been heavy on my heart and mind. Like really on my mind. It has to do with our personal desires and what we think we want, and what the Lord actually wants for us.
Granted, knowing God's exact plan for your life is pretty much impossible. But I'm not talking about figuring out our life schedule. So let me begin...
I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who feels this way, (maybe I am, I seriously doubt it though) But have you ever had a desire for something, thought you needed something SO badly that it almost consumes you? I'm talking about those things you think you need to be "happy" or "satisfied'. The thing that you think about 24/7. The thing you start making up little scenarios and conversations about. The thing that you want so badly, that the thought of not having it is like a heavy burden on your mind. The thing that makes your heart burn within you.
Of course this "thing" will be different for all of us.
For some it may be a certain social status, for others it may be a specific house, or a special job, or maybe a car, a special relationship, the feeling of belonging, financial security, having a lot of friends, belonging to a perfect family. Whatever it is, you can identify it in your life. Whether big or small.
(Clarification: These things aren't necessarily wrong, but it can be all too easy to let them become idols.)
The numero uno thing that is wrong with this is, that when you let something become so big and important to you, you're letting it take the place of God in your life. (Which btw is a HUGE nono.) Not only are you treasuring something (or the idea of something) more than the Lord, but it's honestly a burden! It is distracting and it FILLS your thoughts. It makes you worry about stuff that you can't even change. It literally becomes your god, and almost starts to be a part of your identity.
For some it may not seem this serious. But I will just say that it doesn't take much for something to become an idol. (I keep saying the word "idol" so I might as well define it. "Idol: a picture or object that is worshipped as a god." And worrying or desiring may not necessarily seem like worship, but watch your heart, it certainly can be.)
So why am I saying all this?
Because it doesn't have to be that way! It doesn't have to consume you. It doesn't have to be the "Golden calf that will save you from your Egypt"
For me it boils down to trusting God with my life. Really trusting Him. Whether I believe that He knows what's best for me. Whether I'm willing to gladly submit to His will.
It is so so so easy to say something with your lips and think it in your mind, but it's another thing to actually believe it with your heart and let it be evident in your actions and actually change you. I feel like this is true especially in America. The land of prosperity. We can say that God is the one who provides, or that He is forgiving, or that we trust him. And then turn around and not spend our money wisely, have a hard heart toward a brother or sister, and worry till our head hurts. Beware of head knowledge! Don't be someone who just gives lip service unto the Lord. "Therefore the Lord said: Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me..." Isaiah 29:13
I mean, I'm just going to throw it out there, I WAY overthink everything. So it isn't very hard for me to slip into this trap of worry, stress and idol making over things I shouldn't. Lately the worry, and to be honest, the distrust of God's sovereignty and goodness in my life, in and through my fretfulness was becoming too much for me. I could see and recognize it. So at first, when I could feel another wave of emotions or overthinking and worry, I'd stop myself and start praying and ask that the Lord would grant me my desire and fulfill my wish, rather than simply dwelling on it.
And then somewhere along the line it was like God flipped a switch.
If I remember correctly I was actually in the middle of praying. And suddenly I was like, wait. I think I've got this backwards. (Again, there are times when we should ask for specific things, and it is ok to ask the Lord to give you the desires of your heart. You just need to make sure that those desires are in line with the word of God and aren't distorted with sin.)
This time I needed a mentality switch. I was at a crossroads of stubbornly sticking to my wants, or humbly coming before the Lord and saying "Your will be done!" I could almost hear Him asking me "Do you really trust Me with your heart?" So I had a choice. I could either keep dwelling on my desires and wants until they poisoned my thinking... OR I could cast all of my worries and anxieties at the feet of the One who made the entire universe!!! The God who loves me with an everlasting love. The God who is infinite, all knowing, wise, just, perfect, uncreated, self-sufficient, worthy of all praise... I could go on forever!! With a Lord and Savior like that, who loves me so much He DIED for me, um yeah, I think I can trust Him with my heart and my desires. I can rest secure knowing that He won't let me down, He knows His plans for me and He knows me better than I do! He knows what is harmful and what is not. So I can trust that He will do what is good for me. Once Christ becomes your focus, when you put Christ back in the center of your motives and you have your eyes fixed on Him rather than all these other things, the crazy thing is, everything gets put back into perspective! Your problems probably won't magically disappear, you will still have to fight against sinful passions, everything isn't going to suddenly be puppy dogs and rainbows, but in comparison to Christ, our source of strength and our hope, man, I almost don't even have words! It doesn't even compare, my worries almost seem so minuscule. One thing that helps me focus on Christ is singing. And the lyrics to "Bless the Lord" by Laura Story really hit me hard. Especially these...
"You give and take away for my good, for who am I to say what I need? For You alone see the hidden parts of me that need to be stripped away. And as you begin to refine, I'm learning to let go and rely on One who walks with me, as hard as it may be, You're teaching me all the while to say: Bless the Lord oh my soul, all that's in me bless Your name, forget not Your power untold, not Your glory or Your fame, for You came to heal the broken, to redeem and make me whole, bless the Lord, oh my soul"
The Lord gives us everything and He can also take away what He will. If you don't get what you want because that's what God has decided, then so be it. To God be the glory.
So the question is, do you really trust the Lord with your whole heart, or do you just have head knowledge that comes out as lip service?
"A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps." Proverbs 16:9
"And he said: 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.'" Job 1:21
"There are many plans in a man's heart, nevertheless the LORD's counsel--that will stand." Proverbs 19:21
"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded... Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." James 4:7-8, 10
"Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret--it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; indeed you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more. But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Psalm 37:1-11
"Trist in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones." Proverbs 3:5-8
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings." Jeremiah 17:1-10
In the end, if you gain the whole world but lose your soul, is it worth it?
Granted, knowing God's exact plan for your life is pretty much impossible. But I'm not talking about figuring out our life schedule. So let me begin...
I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who feels this way, (maybe I am, I seriously doubt it though) But have you ever had a desire for something, thought you needed something SO badly that it almost consumes you? I'm talking about those things you think you need to be "happy" or "satisfied'. The thing that you think about 24/7. The thing you start making up little scenarios and conversations about. The thing that you want so badly, that the thought of not having it is like a heavy burden on your mind. The thing that makes your heart burn within you.
Of course this "thing" will be different for all of us.
For some it may be a certain social status, for others it may be a specific house, or a special job, or maybe a car, a special relationship, the feeling of belonging, financial security, having a lot of friends, belonging to a perfect family. Whatever it is, you can identify it in your life. Whether big or small.
(Clarification: These things aren't necessarily wrong, but it can be all too easy to let them become idols.)
The numero uno thing that is wrong with this is, that when you let something become so big and important to you, you're letting it take the place of God in your life. (Which btw is a HUGE nono.) Not only are you treasuring something (or the idea of something) more than the Lord, but it's honestly a burden! It is distracting and it FILLS your thoughts. It makes you worry about stuff that you can't even change. It literally becomes your god, and almost starts to be a part of your identity.
For some it may not seem this serious. But I will just say that it doesn't take much for something to become an idol. (I keep saying the word "idol" so I might as well define it. "Idol: a picture or object that is worshipped as a god." And worrying or desiring may not necessarily seem like worship, but watch your heart, it certainly can be.)
So why am I saying all this?
Because it doesn't have to be that way! It doesn't have to consume you. It doesn't have to be the "Golden calf that will save you from your Egypt"
For me it boils down to trusting God with my life. Really trusting Him. Whether I believe that He knows what's best for me. Whether I'm willing to gladly submit to His will.
It is so so so easy to say something with your lips and think it in your mind, but it's another thing to actually believe it with your heart and let it be evident in your actions and actually change you. I feel like this is true especially in America. The land of prosperity. We can say that God is the one who provides, or that He is forgiving, or that we trust him. And then turn around and not spend our money wisely, have a hard heart toward a brother or sister, and worry till our head hurts. Beware of head knowledge! Don't be someone who just gives lip service unto the Lord. "Therefore the Lord said: Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me..." Isaiah 29:13
I mean, I'm just going to throw it out there, I WAY overthink everything. So it isn't very hard for me to slip into this trap of worry, stress and idol making over things I shouldn't. Lately the worry, and to be honest, the distrust of God's sovereignty and goodness in my life, in and through my fretfulness was becoming too much for me. I could see and recognize it. So at first, when I could feel another wave of emotions or overthinking and worry, I'd stop myself and start praying and ask that the Lord would grant me my desire and fulfill my wish, rather than simply dwelling on it.
And then somewhere along the line it was like God flipped a switch.
If I remember correctly I was actually in the middle of praying. And suddenly I was like, wait. I think I've got this backwards. (Again, there are times when we should ask for specific things, and it is ok to ask the Lord to give you the desires of your heart. You just need to make sure that those desires are in line with the word of God and aren't distorted with sin.)
This time I needed a mentality switch. I was at a crossroads of stubbornly sticking to my wants, or humbly coming before the Lord and saying "Your will be done!" I could almost hear Him asking me "Do you really trust Me with your heart?" So I had a choice. I could either keep dwelling on my desires and wants until they poisoned my thinking... OR I could cast all of my worries and anxieties at the feet of the One who made the entire universe!!! The God who loves me with an everlasting love. The God who is infinite, all knowing, wise, just, perfect, uncreated, self-sufficient, worthy of all praise... I could go on forever!! With a Lord and Savior like that, who loves me so much He DIED for me, um yeah, I think I can trust Him with my heart and my desires. I can rest secure knowing that He won't let me down, He knows His plans for me and He knows me better than I do! He knows what is harmful and what is not. So I can trust that He will do what is good for me. Once Christ becomes your focus, when you put Christ back in the center of your motives and you have your eyes fixed on Him rather than all these other things, the crazy thing is, everything gets put back into perspective! Your problems probably won't magically disappear, you will still have to fight against sinful passions, everything isn't going to suddenly be puppy dogs and rainbows, but in comparison to Christ, our source of strength and our hope, man, I almost don't even have words! It doesn't even compare, my worries almost seem so minuscule. One thing that helps me focus on Christ is singing. And the lyrics to "Bless the Lord" by Laura Story really hit me hard. Especially these...
"You give and take away for my good, for who am I to say what I need? For You alone see the hidden parts of me that need to be stripped away. And as you begin to refine, I'm learning to let go and rely on One who walks with me, as hard as it may be, You're teaching me all the while to say: Bless the Lord oh my soul, all that's in me bless Your name, forget not Your power untold, not Your glory or Your fame, for You came to heal the broken, to redeem and make me whole, bless the Lord, oh my soul"
The Lord gives us everything and He can also take away what He will. If you don't get what you want because that's what God has decided, then so be it. To God be the glory.
So the question is, do you really trust the Lord with your whole heart, or do you just have head knowledge that comes out as lip service?
"A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps." Proverbs 16:9
"And he said: 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.'" Job 1:21
"There are many plans in a man's heart, nevertheless the LORD's counsel--that will stand." Proverbs 19:21
"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded... Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." James 4:7-8, 10
"Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret--it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; indeed you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more. But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Psalm 37:1-11
"Trist in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones." Proverbs 3:5-8
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings." Jeremiah 17:1-10
In the end, if you gain the whole world but lose your soul, is it worth it?
Comments
Post a Comment