Trust

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths.”

Proverbs 3:5

This is my week’s ‘Fighter Verse’.  Fighter Verses were introduced to me by my friend Dan and the idea is that you memorise a key Bible verse every week.  We have started to do it in my small group.  It is a great idea!  (Fighter Verses can be bought as an App).

This verse is one of the verses that I have known for as long as I can remember.  I have always remembered it in difficult times although sometimes later than I needed it!  I also love the book of Proverbs.  When thinking about writing this particular blog, I looked up the definition of ‘proverb’, just to see what it really meant.  Google told me that a proverb is “A short pithy or saying in general use, stating a general truth or piece of advice.”

So Proverbs are true!!  Even Google agree! ;-)

Sometimes it can be hard to fight for the truth when we aren’t feeling our strongest or at our best.  I know that from experience.  I find it really hard sometimes to cling onto the truth when I'm busy, stressed or worried about something.  But in my heart, I know the truth in the fact that God is at His most powerful when we are at our weakest!!  It doesn’t matter how we feel, God’s truth is still the same and His faithfulness to us will never change.  At the weekend, I was worried about something and spent some time praying about it.  I didn't give Him much time to answer my prayer or speak to me but in His grace, God spoke to me in exactly the right situation at exactly the right time and I just knew His peace straight away.  It's there; we just need to ask Him for it and trust in His word, which never changes and is always true!!  Woo hoo!!

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

There are far too many reasons for us to trust in God for me to list on this page. 

Over this year, God has blessed me more than I ever thought possible in many ways.  His timing has been perfect and He has given me so much! 

I’ve listed a few reasons with scriptures below that give us good reason to trust in Him.

You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. 

Psalm 115:11

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.

Psalm 118:8

Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD. 

Proverbs 16:20

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.

Proverbs 29:25

A greedy man stirs up strife, but the one who trusts in the LORD will be enriched.

Proverbs 28:25

Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.

Isaiah 26:4

The Point Is This.

“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace bound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, so you may abound in every good work.”

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

It’s been a while since I wrote a new blog and truth be told, I’ve missed it!

Life has been a bit nuts over the last few months, but I’ve had some fantastic times and this post is a bit of a thank you and a testimony of how God has continued to bless me even when I have let Him down.

This summer, some of the other youth leaders and I at Beacon Church took 12 of the young people to Newday which was great.  God answered our prayers beyond what we could have imagined in us being able to see visible changes in some of the young people and we are still reaping from it now! 

I had an amazing holiday to Greece with Peter where I met some really great people.  It was a fantastic opportunity for us to go away together while making new friends along the way and getting a good tan ;-)

I have had the privilege of joining a new small group at church run by my very good friends Ben and Sophie.  It is going really well and I’m sure it is only going to get better!!  

So I’m very thankful for some great experiences!  But I also wanted to take this opportunity to thank God for some very special people in my life.  Without sounding cheesy, I know I’ve been blessed with some amazing friends who genuinely care about me.  I don’t tell them enough how much I appreciate them taking a very big part in my life and being there for me when I need them the most.  The fact that they take a genuine interest in my life, want to be there to support me and who show me they love me by just being my friends, I am so very grateful to God for them.  I can never thank Him enough and I want them to know just how much I love and appreciate them! (You know who you are!) xx

So the point is this.  I am TRULY blessed.  I don’t deserve any of these blessings but God has been faithful and has given me more than I ever imagined and continues to do so even though I don’t deserve any of it.  I’m so grateful to Him for the amazing friends He has put around me who I know love me, even when I let them down too.  Jesus says that “whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly”.  I’m not saying that to be blessed this much I have given loads, because I haven’t!  But He also says:

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

Matthew 7:11

The GRACE that God pours upon us comes from His love.  It doesn’t come from how much we can give or what we do, but from the heart that He has for us which can turn our hearts towards Him and we can realise just how thankful we are.