Learning how to Trust & Rest

in a Real and Personal God

“Jesus answered them “Do you finally believe?” In fact you are about to make a run for it saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I am not abandoned. The father is with me. I have told you all of this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties but take heart. “I have conquered the world.””

-John 16:31

As I read the above passage, I was reminded of a life experience in which I didn’t trust God, and my husband. My husband and I were recently at an impasse. I approached him meekly, stated my disagreement, and like a woman of the world I told him that he would be on his own with this. I was anxious about his decision, as well as the decision I made not to endorse it. After consulting two Godly women in my life as well as completing my bible study and many hours of prayer, I found myself in tears. I went to my husband and apologized. I realized that God is directing my husband and that as a man of prayer, God will lead my husband in the right direction.

My four-year old has been taking swim classes recently, and she has grown quite confident and assured in her swimming capabilities. However, she became anxious the other day when her instructor asked her to float on her back in the water. She glanced at me in fear, and when I didn’t ‘help’ her, she began to scream and cry. Despite the hurt it caused me to see her so upset, I tried to look preoccupied so that I wouldn’t feed her fear. After several minutes of crying, I was forced to pull out my spoon and threaten to discipline her if she didn’t do what was being asked of her. My daughter laid back into her instructor’s arms, and tears streaming down her face, did what was asked of her. At that moment, God revealed to me that I am exactly like my daughter in the water when it comes to submitting to my husband. Like her, I often flounder when I have to step out of my comfort zone and do something that I’m not in agreement with. However, my spoon is like God’s word. My daughter obeyed me out of fear of discipline, and I should obey the bible out of the fear of God.

As I sat in the damp, humid swim school, reflecting over what God had just revealed, God encouraged me to look to him whenever in doubt. Like my daughter, God will always have my back. And not through us, but through God, will we make it victoriously across the pool of life.

Reflection:

What do you hold onto so tightly that even God’s word only lessens the grip to a firm hold?

Application:

Lay down something you’re worried or troubled by and put God to the test.

Power Verses:

““Going a little ahead, he fell on his face, praying, “My father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what I want. You, what you want.””

-Matthew 26:34

“Wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord for the husband is the head of the church and he is the savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ so let wives be to their husbands in everything.”

-Ephesians 5:22-23