I’ve been teaching the Word of God for 40 years now, and one of the most life-changing things I’ve learned is that God is always right. No matter what I think, how I feel, or what my circumstances look like, His wisdom and His way of doing things are always the answer to my problems.
One message we see throughout the Bible is, “Do what’s right in God’s eyes and you’ll have a life you enjoy that’s worth living. Don’t obey God, and have a miserable life.” See, it’s not the things that happen to us that determine the quality of our lives. It’s how we choose to respond to them that really matters. And trusting God is the key to making right choices that bring us the life He has planned for us.
We can choose to trust God. The truth is, God is the only One we can completely trust to take care of us and do what’s best for us at all times, in every situation.
Maybe you’re thinking, “Well, I trusted God and He didn’t take care of me.” I understand how you feel, because I’ve gone through hard things and didn’t get what I wanted when I thought I should get it, the way I thought it should come. But the question is, were you trusting God to give you what you wanted Him to give you, or what He wanted to give you, in His time and in His way?
Doing what we want and getting our way all the time isn’t what will make us happy. Being selfish and self-centered is actually a miserable way to live. We need the Word of God because as we study it and meditate on it, it renews our minds so we think the way He thinks. It also turns our will in God’s direction so we want what He wants for us.
Psalm 37:3 (AMPC) says, “Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed.” This verse tells us the two things we must do that will solve every problem we face: trust God and do good.
God’s Word is medicine that brings healing and restoration to our souls. “Trust God” and “Do Good” are the two prescriptions we all need. Our doctor is Jesus, we are His patients, and we can take His medicine as much as we need to. And refills are endless! But there are side effects. When you trust God, you will experience peace, joy, stability, confidence, and overall better health. When you do good, you’ll have extreme happiness and rewards in heaven!
I know it’s not always easy to trust God and do good. But it’s the best option because it’s the only thing that will really work. I know it works, because I was a mess, and learning how to trust God and obey His Word has literally changed my life!
I wish I could get people to understand how pathetic my life was when I received my first Bible from my mother-in-law. It’s so amazing how learning to believe God’s Word—to trust Him and obey Him—has taken my brokenness and turned my life into something that can actually be of value to other people.
Psalm 37:5 (AMPC) says, “Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass.” Life in God is a journey, and we partner with Him by putting our trust in Him (1 Cor. 1:9). When we’re dealing with a difficult situation, He may show us something we need to do that will help solve our problem.
I remember when God spoke to my heart that Dave and I should take care of my parents in their old age. This meant we would move them to the city where we live, buy a home for them and provide the care they needed. This was so hard for me because my father had abused me throughout my childhood and my mother had abandoned me by not doing anything to stop it. But God gave me the grace to do it, and one of the results was that my father accepted Christ as his Savior before he died. This is one of the greatest victories I’ve ever had!
I want to encourage you to trust God completely in every area of your life. Remember that He is always on your side and He is fighting for you as you go through the challenges in your life. He loves you and has your best interest at heart at all times. No matter what you need or what your circumstances are, you can live with peace, joy, stability, confidence and overall better health if you will trust God and do good! {eoa}
