A friend was sharing with me recently that her four-year-old granddaughter is learning to pray. One night before she went to bed, she was saying her prayers and began talking to God. She raised her head up to Heaven and began shouting out her prayer. In exasperation, the little girl said, “Nana, I’m trying to talk to God, but he isn’t listening, he isn’t saying anything back to me, he won’t answer.”
Not sure how to answer, the grandmother tried to tell her granddaughter to be patient, and to trust that God will answer her in time. A week later the little girl told her Nana that God does listen. Her Nana replied, “How does God listen?” The little girl said, “God listens because He talks to me when I read the Bible.”
As my friend was sharing this story, the following verse came to my mind, “And he said: “I tell you the truth unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3 This little girl had recognized the greatest gift of all, that God does listen, we might just need to open up our Bibles to hear what he has to say.
The older I get, the more I realize that as parents we spend so much time teaching our children, and yet there are so many times when our children can teach us if we are willing to listen. Our children are optimistic they have no fear in tomorrow because they live in the moment of today. That’s a very powerful lesson to learn. Childlike faith means, no questions asked, just believe because I can. Do you have that same level of faith? Do you trust, believe, even when you don’t see or hear God?
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3: 5-6
The word trust means a “firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone or something. When you “rely upon or place confidence in someone or something,” you tend to believe or trust that things will work out accordingly. We want to believe that we can trust people to be honest, that their words are trustworthy, and that their actions are filled with integrity. I believe that there is only one word stronger than love and that is trust. There is power in being able to trust someone. When you fall in love, you trust someone with your heart. You place your future in their hands and you hope and pray that they will not break that bond of trust.
For a relationship to succeed, there must be mutual trust and understanding. How would you describe your relationship with God? Do you believe that God can be trusted? Can you trust God has a plan and purpose for your life? Will you trust God to position you in the right place at the right time so that his plan for you will be accomplished?
God can be trusted to work everything out in your life. Unfortunately, we don’t always seem to understand everything that is happening in our lives which creates a moment of doubt. Why is God allowing such pain, heartache, or uncertainty in my life? I’ve trusted in God to do a mighty work in my life and yet, nothing is happening. Perhaps that’s what it may seem like at the moment, even though we don’t see God at work, He is making a way and He will provide.
There is one Bible verse that we can turn to when we are struggling with trusting God with our future, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28. If we trust that God has a plan, He has a purpose for our lives, then we can rest in assurance that He can be trusted to fulfill his promise in our lives.
But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God. My times are in your hands…Psalm 31:14
The following Bible verses offer encouragement for trusting God, He is with you, He is for you, and He will never leave you. Whatever you are going through, or wherever you are in your walk with God, He can be trusted.
Bible verses for Encouraging Your Power of Trust in God
Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod, and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 37: 3-5 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Isaiah 58:11 The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose water never fails.
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding.
Ephesians 4:13 I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.
Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Genesis 28:15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.
Genesis 18:14 Is anything too hard for the Lord?
1 Peter 5:6 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
…guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Psalm 25:5
Hope is a word that can either be defined as a noun or a verb. As a noun, hope means, “to cherish a desire with anticipation: to want something to happen or be true, also it is defined as a “desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment, to expect with confidence. When defined as a verb, hope is a “desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment, someone or something on which hopes are centered, or something desired or hoped for.”
Quite often I use hope as a verb. Many times as I close an email message to a friend I will say, “I hope you have a great day!” It is my desire that I want my friend to have a great day, I am “hoping” for the best. I have high hopes for friends or people that I care about, but when it comes to having hope for myself, I tend to have more doubts than hope. Do you consider yourself a “hopeful” person? Perhaps when we surrender our own desires and choose to hope in what God has planned for us we can finally rest our souls.
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.
Psalm 62:5
When we can find rest in God, we have found hope. Hope comes from knowing that God alone can work miracles, he can do all things, he is working things out for our good. What the devil sets out to destroy us, God will use it for our good.
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Genesis 50:20-21
We must believe in hope, even when the situation seems dire. Even when you think that God is nowhere to be found, He is working behind the scenes, getting everything ready for the right moment in which He will show up. Don’t despair, he is still very near. “A despairing heart mumbles, “God is doing nothing.” There will be times when you feel that, “God has left the building”. It may seem like he has forgotten about your life and your concerns. Keep the faith and stay hopeful. “A hopeful heart inquires, “God, what are you going to do next?”, and looks forward to celebrating God’s awesome ingenuity.”
We are called to put our faith, trust, and most importantly to put our hope in God alone. Our hope in God is secure because we can trust that He is working even if that means we must surrender to His plans and not ours.
…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31
This particular verse is one that inspired me many years ago when I was feeling weak and worn out. I recited this verse over and over again until I released all my cares and worries into the hands of the Lord. I slowly began to fill my life with hope, knowing that God would take care of everything. I have come to understand that the phrase, “hope in the Lord”, really means to trust or have faith in the Lord. If I “trust or have faith in the Lord,” He will renew my strength and help me to run and not grow weary, and walk and not be faint. I pray that you will believe in hope in the Lord, trust that He will provide, and have faith that all will work out according to His plan. Amen!
May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.
When was the last time you could say you “waited patiently”? Waiting and being patient are not things that seem to go together. Peanut butter and jelly, hot dogs and ketchup, popcorn at the movies, these are things that go together, but waiting and being patient, not so much. We want things, and we want things to happen now.
As Christians, we are called to live by the Spirit. If the spirit of Jesus Christ is living within us, we choose not to conflict with the sinful nature of the world. We will live by the fruits of the Spirit, which are “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23 Notice that the fourth attribute of living by the fruits of the Spirit is “patience.”
I believe there was some intentionality in how Paul introduced us to the “fruits of the spirit.” First, we must have love in our hearts for Jesus, ourselves, and others. That leads to an undeniable joy, which creates a feeling of peace in our lives, and therefore, we will be patient with all that life wants to bestow upon us. Our goodness and faithfulness will be seen by everyone, and our interactions with others will be filled with gentleness and self-control.
Perhaps patience is an extension of our faith in action. When we are patient with others, there is a sense that there is a greater life force, which gives us the ability to be calm and patient in stressful situations. That is the power of the Holy Spirit. The book of Proverbs is filled with amazing one-liners that get right to the point; below is an example of how a patient person can defuse an argument. The Spirit of God is leading someone calm and patient.
A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.
Proverbs 15:18
Do you remember taking a picture with a Polaroid camera? You would seize the moment, take a picture, and then take your film to the store to develop it. The process could take up to a week or so. Then came the instant Polaroid camera when you would capture the moment, and within a few minutes of “waiting patiently,” your picture would appear. Now, all we have to do is line up the picture on our cell phones, and with just one touch, a picture appears. There is no waiting!
“Have patience. All things are difficult before they become easy.”
Saadi
Have you ever wanted to walk away and give up when a situation got too hard? For every parent going through “potty training”, you know what I am talking about. Or, maybe if your children are older and you have been spending every free moment teaching your child how to drive, your patience is non-existent. However, I want to offer you some encouragement, “let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people…” Galatians 6:9-10 The command here is never to give up…no matter how hard things get, no matter what you are going through, and you feel like you can’t go on…never give up! Be patient; at the right time and at the right moment, God will show up bigger and better than you could ever have imagined. As I write this, I pray for this to be impactful for your life and mine, too! I pray that you will know that God is at work, and be patient and willing to keep faith as you wait patiently.
“Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The SPRING will come!”
Robert H. Schuller
Perhaps life is like biting into your favorite slice of pizza. If you take a bite too soon, you will get that nasty burn on the top of the roof of your mouth; you have to be patient to wait until just the right time when the pizza is still warm, but not too hot and not too cold to enjoy that delicious taste of Italy. Life can be like that; we have to wait for just the right time when everything comes together to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives. God’s timing is perfect; it is never too early or too late. Be patient and know that God is at work. Hold on to your faith and rest, knowing God hears your every cry.
I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.
The Lord is my light and my salvation. The Lord is the strong hold of my life-of whom shall I be afraid?
What are you afraid of: dogs, snakes, elevators, heights, or being asked to speak in front of a large audience? Many of us would like to consider ourselves “fearless”, and yet I believe that everyone has something that they fear whether we want to admit it or not. Below is a list of the top 10 phobias impacting people in the United States.
What Are You Afraid Of? – Top 10 Phobia Statistics for Everyone
About 9.1% of adult US citizens had some sort of specific phobia in 2019.
About 4% of the global population has claustrophobia, or the fear of tiny, enclosed spaces.
The lifetime prevalence of visual height intolerance, a milder form of acrophobia, is 28%.
19.3% of adolescents in the US experience a specific phobia.
Acrophobia, the fear of heights, affects about 5% of all people.
Between 7% and 9% of people suffer from specific phobias, such as cynophobia, the fear of dogs.
Fear of spiders, or arachnophobia, affects somewhere between 3.5% and 6.1% of people worldwide
About 33% of people have aerophobia, the fear of flying, ranging from mild to drastic.
Just about 20% of people who seek treatment for phobias are completely cured.
About 33% of adults constitute the fear of snakes statistic figures, i.e., they have ophidiophobia.
Fear can be a powerful emotion, it can either move you forward into the future or paralyze you in the past. When we have faith in God and believe that he is our light, our redeemer, and our foundation, then we can ask the question, “whom shall I fear.?” Unfortunately at times, our human nature gets the best of us and fear, anxiety and depression set in. I have spent my entire life as a believer in Christ and yet there are times when I have been overcome with fear, particularly fear of the unknown, and the future. I have allowed myself to get so consumed with the “what ifs” that I can’t process the “what nows”. I need to constantly reassure my inner soul that God is in control, and no matter what happens, together we will overcome.
When I am afraid, I will trust in you, in God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to men?
Psalm 56:3-4
I’ve recently been studying the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis from the Old Testament of the Bible. Joseph’s story is one of pain, drama and family struggles. You may think you are in an impossible situation, things are not going well and may feel that God is so far removed from you at the moment.
I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
Genesis 26:24
The story of Joseph gives us hope that even in a very fearful situation, God was there all along moving Joseph forward into his ultimate victory. If you have some time, read Genesis 37 through Genesis 47. His story is one that proves that God does work in mysterious ways, even if we have to wait for a long time. It’s during that waiting period that God shows up, we just have to open our eyes to see He is there with us. You don’t have to fear or be afraid.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 34:4
I pray that you too will continue to seek the Lord, and know that He will deliver you from all your fears. Surrender it all to God and trust that He hears you. Be prepared to look for the life lessons along the way as you wait for God. Just know that God is doing more than we can ever imagine and in ways that we cannot completely understand.
The fear (or trust) of the Lord leads to life. Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
A recent research study shows that on average a person speaks at least 7,000 words a day.
I can imagine that parents feel like they probably exceed the average 7,000 words a day, their 7,000 words are exhausted by 8:00 AM! “The atmosphere of the home, including verbal and nonverbal communication from parents, plays a significant role in shaping a child’s identity and behavior,” states H. Norman Wright in The Power of a Parent’s Words.
Our words can be so powerful, they can either build up, encourage and inspire or they can be insulting, uninspiring and degrading. Parents can choose words that empower their children, give them hope and guidance. Although, quite often I think parents forget that their child is still a child and needs to be nurtured with tender words of support rather than harsh words of contempt. Discipline walks that fine line between thoughtful words of instruction and harsh words of reproach. Our job as parents is to find that balance where our words can teach, encourage, praise, and influence in a positive manner.
The Bible teaches us to “fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 11:18-19
We must be careful with our words when we are addressing our children but also as adults when we are talking with our peers. When we take a moment to think about the words that we are saying, we may want to revisit them before they come out of our mouths. Have you ever had an experience when you said something that was totally out of character, and unexpected but the words came out of your mouth anyway? I’ve had that happen a few times, and I must admit that I was rather shaken by the whole experience. I remember one time while I was at work, a situation came up and before I could gather my thoughts to respond appropriately I just blurted out an honest, but not quite thoughtful response and once those words were out there, I could not take them back. Somehow I had to regroup and try to recover an awkward conversation.
Powerful Words as seen in “You’ve Got Mail”
There is a scene in the movie, “You’ve got Mail” when Kathleen Kelly played by Meg Ryan wants so badly to be able to have a quick, and cunning response to Joe Fox, played by Tom Hanks. (in this exchange, Kathleen is unaware that Joe knows exactly what she is talking about). Below is the actual exchange of words from the movie.
Joe Fox : [writing to “Shopgirl”] Do you ever feel you’ve become the worst version of yourself? That a Pandora’s box of all the secret, hateful parts – your arrogance, your spite, your condescension – has sprung open? Someone upsets you and instead of smiling and moving on, you zing them. “Hello, it’s Mr Nasty.” I’m sure you have no idea what I’m talking about.
Kathleen Kelly : [writing to “NY152”] No, I know what you mean, and I’m completely jealous! What happens to me when I’m provoked is that I get tongue-tied and my mind goes blank. Then I spend all night tossing and turning trying to figure out what I should have said. What should I have said, for example, to a bottom dweller who recently belittled my existence?
[stops and thinks]
Kathleen Kelly : [writing] Nothing. Even now, days later, I can’t figure it out.
Joe Fox : [writing] Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could pass all my zingers to you? And then I would never behave badly and you could behave badly all the time, and we’d both be happy. But then, on the other hand, I must warn you that when you finally have the pleasure of saying the thing you mean to say at the moment you mean to say it, remorse inevitably follows.
[hesitates]
I wanted to share this exchange because it’s a clear example of how we want so badly to be able to respond at times with a “zinger”, but the most impactful part of this exchange is found in the last sentence from Joe Fox. Once you say what you really wanted to say, you realize that it was hurtful and instead of feeling powerful, remorse is the only thing you are feeling.
For those of you who know this movie, you will remember that Kathleen did have a moment when she thought she was meeting the man of her dreams at a coffee shop only to find that the person who was at the coffee shop turned out to be Joe Fox. Her business nemisis who is trying to shut down her family-run book store. She finally has her moment to come back with all the words that have been building up and called him out. Below is the conversation between Kathleen and Joe.
Joe Fox : [on Kathleen’s missing date] So who is he, I wonder? Certainly not, I gather, the world’s greatest living expert on Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. But somebody else entirely different. Will you be mean to him, too?
Kathleen Kelly : No, I will not. Because the man who is coming here tonight is completely unlike you. The man who is coming here tonight is kind and funny, he has the most wonderful sense of humor…
Kathleen Kelly : Well… if he’s not here, he has a reason, because there is not a cruel or careless bone in his body. But I wouldn’t expect you to understand anybody like that. You with your theme park, multi-level, homogenize-the-world mochaccino land. You’ve deluded yourself into thinking that you’re some sort of benefactor, bringing books to the masses. But no one will ever remember you, Joe Fox. And maybe no one will remember me, either, but plenty of people remember my mother, and they think she was fine, and they think her store was something special. You are nothing but a suit!
“That’s my cue”, perhaps those are the words that we need to remember when we want so badly to respond to a hurtful or critical comment. Instead of coming back with another “zinger” of hurtful words, we should just take the cue and leave. Leave the person with their hurtful words, laying on the floor. No need to respond at that moment, just walk away. Of course there will be a time to respond and have a meaningful conversation but you know when someone is not ready to listen they just need to vent. Let them vent, walk away and then when the time is right have a conversation laced with grace and understanding.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation in my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14
In light of all that we have been through in the past year, I’m sure that there have been moments where the words landed on the floor. Instead of leaving them there on the floor, you took them and threw them right back at the person. Now is the time for grace, and forgiveness. If you’ve said something to someone in the past that you need to ask forgiveness for, do it today! Have that hard conversation and rest assured that forgiveness will abound. The other person may not be ready to forgive and that’s ok, you, however, have done your job by seeking forgiveness. Be willing to humble yourself and know that God is with you.
Make it a habit to recite this verse over and over each day. Let God lead you in your conversations, and in your space of quiet reflections within your heart. I pray that God will guide your speaking and your thinking so that it will be pleasing and uplifting, encouraging and inspiring.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation in my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
