Today, I’m sharing words from one of my favorite non-fiction books along with whispered prayers. Maybe your heart needs a little prayer today, feel free to pray these words with me.
This title stood out (among hundreds of others on my Kindle) during a time when chaos reigned and I felt I couldn’t stand any more (literally). As I read, I soaked up nuggets of truth and wisdom.
In pain I called out for the faith to believe what I was reading. It’s messy when you don’t have enough faith to believe the words, but you want to. Yet, God is faithful to give us faith when we seek him for it. His
So I called out and God’s beauty was seen as his spirit strengthened. His truths touched the hurting places.
I’ve been learning that faith requires actively participating in my belief of who God is and how He works. And belief requires trust.
Do we trust Him to be good and do good despite the bad of our circumstances?
If I don’t believe God is powerful, holy, good, loving and just, ultimately if I don’t believe God is all that He says is, which is far more than I could comprehend, I limit the power of God in my life. I don’t want that.
I want to see more of God’s power, even if it means that His primary act is the painful transformation of my own heart and not a dreamy change of circumstances.
Jerry Bridges words on Trusting God will likely challenge you as they did me. Below are some of my favorite quotes & I’ve added short prayerful thoughts. Whispered prayers for myself, and you if you would like.
May these words encourage your heart and strengthen your faith.
Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts by Jerry Bridges
{NOTE: These are portions of the book from selected chapters, not consecutive content.}
God’s plan and His ways of working out His plan are frequently beyond our ability to fathom and understand. We must learn to trust when we don’t understand.
So often I prefer to over-think everything. I want to figure it all out. Help me to trust your ways Lord, even if I don’t understand them.
…pray that the Holy Spirit of God will enable you to get beyond the facts about God so that you will come to know Him better, and so be able to trust Him more completely.
Oh Lord, how much you are teaching me about yourself. May I continue to be empowered by the work of your Spirit within me.
God’s providence is His constant care for and His absolute rule over all His creation for His own glory and the good of His people. Again, note the absolute terms: constant care, absolute rule, all creation. Nothing, not even the smallest virus, escapes His care and control.
Nothing is out of your control? NOTHING?! I doubt this often, but my head knows it must be true. Help me to believe this in my heart and act in ways that agree with this knowledge.
If we are going to learn to trust God in adversity, we must believe that just as certainly as God will allow nothing to subvert His glory, so He will allow nothing to spoil the good He is working out in us and for us.
Father, I need your gentle reminders in the hard times of life that your good is being worked out. I need your eyes to see that it IS good.
The sovereignty of God is often questioned because man does not understand what God is doing. Because he does not act as we think He should, we conclude He cannot act as we think He would.
Forgive me for wanting to control the outcomes of my life, and the lives of others. Forgive me for expecting you to act as I think you should.
Trusting God is not a matter of my feelings but of my will. I never feel like trusting God when adversity strikes, but I can choose to do so even when I don’t feel like it. The act of the will, though, must be based on belief, and belief must be based on truth.
When it’s darkest Lord, help me to rest in who you are over what I feel. Strengthen me to walk in faith Father.
Amen
with love, Jolene
May we see the God who sees us. Trust the hand that leads us.
I think I own that book on my Kindle. I need to look it up!
Yes! Do! One of my top ten. Up there are also two books by Tullian Tchividjian, especially One Way Love. If you start reading Trusting God, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Your heart is being guided by God in this series. It’s beautiful thing to see! I love your whispered prayers and would cherish some for God to reveal next steps for me after I retire.
Mary – I am praying for you now. Lord, we come together as sisters laying Mary’s future before you. You know every step. We ask for you to reveal to her the wisdom to discern your voice among others for each decision she makes. Guide her heart and guard her mind as she steps forward holding your hand. With gratitude we thank you for the years of work that you have blessed Mary with and thank you in advance for the work you have for in retirement, whatever that looks like. Thank you for your faithfulness Father. Amen.
I want to shore up my somewhat messy faith, which is why I will be reading your posts during this challenge. God bless you as you write each day.
I’m so glad you are joining Michele! Would love to have you in the FB group as well if you are interested. We could all use encouragement to seek the Father each day so our faith can grow!
Thank you for sharing about the book–it looks really good :). The transforming of our heart can certainly be painful–it’s hard to let go of what we’ve been squeezing on to so tightly.
Oh Amen Anita. Amen. It’s far more freeing to open our fists, but I keep trying to grab again. Thankful for His grace.
Love this. Sometimes it’s so hard to convince our heart what our head knows to be true. To trust that God’s in charge, even when life is at it’s darkest.
Whoo! I needed that. I love giving stuff to God and taking it back so I can worry about it some more. Bad on me. Thanks for your writing and these truths that point back to God and His grace.