What if repeating something over and over could tip the scale and it became easier?

What if practicing trust could be that way?

What if it is as simple as … moment by moment, decision by decision, saying…

“I don’t have to understand, I trust You.”

Okay. I admit. We have heard this a million times. I may have already lost you and you stopped reading this post. We know we need to trust God, why is it hard to do it consistently?

Hang in there with me for a few moments while we look at a Bible verse and a personal example.

Path

Last week I was studying the word, path. So many of the insights God has given me lately have to do with walking in a new way with God, on a new path. As I read some of the cross-references listed on biblehub.com, my heart literally leaped inside me when I read this verse:

Psalm 16:8 I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. NASB

I didn’t quite understand why it had such an effect on me until later in the week…

Personal story

Sometimes the pain of being a pastor is so tangible you can feel it. It can be joy overflowing or … like a punch in the stomach. Well, we experienced the latter this week. As I sat down to journal last night, I could not focus. I said aloud to the Lord,

“I think the only benefit of this experience could be for me to trust You right now when everything feels so dark, and I can’t get in touch with any hope I don’t even feel like I can pray, so I will simply trust.”

So that is what I did. Every time the thoughts rose up that reminded me of the loss, I would say out loud – I trust You. I didn’t feel anything. In fact, I felt very empty and depleted. But Psalm 16:8 started running through my mind more and more.

For the rest of the evening, I filled up on thoughts about God. I prayed with dear friends in my small group about all sorts of things.

Tipping the scales

The next morning, I awoke to the thought, you are tipping the scales. You have set the Lord before you, He is at your right hand and you will not be shaken. The continual thoughts and sad emotions decreased. The reality of the loss was still there but there was clarity for the way forward. I thought of the options I had last night.

Option 1 – let the thoughts go around and around in my mind as I try to fix the situation or fix myself. Endless, defeating cycle.

Option 2 – let my failures consume me until I play a victim role, give up and land in a pit of despair.

Option 3 – enter Your rest by repeating my trust over and over until it tips the scales in my thinking and emotions.

Your turn

What is an area in your life right now that could use more trust? Ask God to expose any and all vain attempts to control. Ask Him for help to tip the scales.

If there isn’t a current area coming to mind, what verse may He want to plant in you that will help you in harder times?