Trust in the LORD... how much???

It's interesting how many things we take for granted, then when it's taken away: we hang on in our lack of trust, forgetting about how trustworthy our King is. 

Psalms 4:5    Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.

Psalms 118:8   It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

Proverbs 3:5    Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding...

In this post, I am answering three things:

1-How this week has affected me personally;   2-What I have been learning in my personal walk with Christ as a result; and  3-How I think what I’ve learned will apply to my life in the future.

   #1: How has this week affected me personally?

I was on my way home from a conference in Florida (Monday) during the first day of the 2015 summer internship with Created Equal, so I drove out to Columbus that evening, missing the first day.  “Not too bad!” I think to myself as I arrive at my new home at midnight.  My first day was definitely weird.  It seemed as though I had a busy summer in front of me with lots of reading assignments and homework to do.  So I left the office that Tuesday afternoon excited, nervous, and tired.  Driving back to my host home, I was caught in the 5 o’clock rush hour traffic.  “Not too bad” I think to myself again, not taking into account that the 5 o’clock rush hour traffic to this barefoot backyard country girl’s hometown was a world of difference from the capital of Ohio.  Before I knew what had happened, I was slamming on my brakes, and I had rear ended the vehicle in front of me on the highway.  Needless to say, that was the highlight of my week. Not in a good way, I just couldn’t forget it.  Thinking through all that could have happened (both good and bad) is just overwhelming.  In the moments after the impact, I switched my brain from processing mode to functional mode, thinking “This could be worse!” and “I can deal with this.”  After the wreak, things seemed to have slowed down a bit, except for the homework, hassle with the insurance company, and our group of interns taking a trip to a Life Defender’s camp over the weekend, and it was very beneficial educational-wise! I learned quite a bit about the finer points of pro-life apologetics (defense), I made a friend, and I learned that I have a whole lot more to learn!  So far, the biggest thing that has impacted my week personally has been losing my car, and meeting/learning from Scott Klusendorf.  

   #2: What have I been learning in my personal walk with Christ as a result of this week?

To be brief:  Christ did not die so that we could walk in 98% freedom.  What do I mean by that, you ask?  Let me begin to answer with a question.  Why when tough times come my way, why is my first reaction to turn to myself, to stand strong, and tell myself: “Not too bad!” and “You can handle this!”???  Why do I fret about how everything will work out, and let myself get worked up over little things?  Here’s why: I have not fully put my trust in God.  I stopped to think about it, & looked around.  I’ve been relying on myself, and up until now, this has all been about me!!!  What was God trying to teach me last weekend? Oh yeah! That’s right! He was saying He wanted me to trust Him with my finances, not just everything else.  And how did I so easily forget, that just 2 weeks before I left home, I gave my car to God??!?! How could I forget that!???  I cannot live in 100% freedom, if I’m still holding on to my finances, refusing to surrender my 2%.

   #3: How do I think what I’ve learned will apply to my life in the future?

I think that since I have now given my finances to God, I am in for an exciting ride.  Do I think God will leave me stranded on the side of the road, without any means of transportation or fuel, and no means to go get any?  Maybe.  But more likely that’s still my un-trust!  But if that would ever happen, my prayer is that I will thank and praise the Lord that all I have is really His, remember that I’m not in control, and that HE is still on the throne!!!  I think that this lesson of trust and surrender is probably more important than I realize, and this will be much more important to me later in life.  Wherever God calls me, whether it be Morocco, Africa doing medical missions work,  Columbus, Ohio defending the life of the preborn,  Hamilton, Indiana continuing to serve my family on our farm, or anywhere else;  may I never forget this lesson the Lord has been teaching me, may I never forget how He got my attention, and Lord, help me to trust you in 100%, all the days of my life!!!