Thoughts: Hannah's Blog

This is a very familiar verse that at times I have just glossed over it without giving much thought. It is easy to trust God when things go well, but when times get tough, the current condition becomes chaotic and the future looks bleak, when anxiety overwhelms and you are surrounded with uncertainty… that’s when it gets hard. Do I really trust God with ALL my heart? I am amazed at what David says when he is surrounded by enemies,

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. – Psalms 56:3.

He could trust in God even when he was afraid of what was happening around him. What do I do when I am afraid? Recent events in my life caused me to ponder this question. And I was reminded of this chorus:

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

This encouraged me to think of the past times in which God had delivered me out of similar situations. How He has proven Himself to be faithful and trustworthy, over and over again. But still, I needed grace to trust Him more. And this brings me to the next part of the verse – do not lean on your own understanding. As I look back to see all the times that God has delivered me, I might at times rush to conclusions as to the way in which God would act. At times I might be impertinent enough to suggest God on how to act or how I’d expect my deliverance would be. Let me elaborate.

If I had been Moses at the waters of Meribah, I would look back on the previous experience of water coming out of the rock when struck and try to repeat the same – operating on my own understanding.

If I had been Joshua, standing at the banks of flooded Jordan (Joshua 3) I’d have thought “If only I had Moses’ staff, then maybe I can use it to divide the waters and it would stand like a wall on the left and right side.” (Exodus 14) – that would be my understanding. But God had a different plan. He asked the priests to step in the water and Scripture says “the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away.”

I recently learned from my Pastor about the battle details of Barak and Deborah. Barak had 10,000 men but they had to face 900 iron chariots. The enemies could easily crush them. But God told them to march and meet their enemies near Kishon River. God caused rain to fall and the area being near the riverbed, all the iron chariots got stuck in the mud and the riders had to retreat on foot and Barak won. What an amazing battleplan!

Sometimes we make the mistake of trying to limit God and forget that all resources are at His disposal. He can move heaven and earth to work as part of His plans. He is the Creator God and creative too, he may not operate the same way twice. Our understanding is limited but His wisdom is infinite!

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. – Isaiah 55:8.