My church's personal daily devotions this week is entitled Be Still, and the lesson kicked off with the following (© 2010 Vineyard Boise redistribution permitted):
“They reeled and staggered like drunken men. They were at their wit’s end.” Psalm 107:27
Jesus was in the boat. There were other boats with them. But when the storm came they still freaked.
I like these men, these twelve, so much like me. So much like us.
For at the very least, this is where we all start when we’re first pummeled by life’s unexpected turns and what we thought was a pleasure cruise turns into a nightmare.
Worry and stress then become close bed-fellows, and fear pulls up a chair. Francis Chan in Crazy Love catches this place well and our natural reaction there, I think:
When I am consumed by my problems — stressed out about my life, my family, and my job — I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God’s command to always rejoice. In other words, that I have a “right” to disobey God [and his command to rejoice always] because of the magnitude of my responsibilities.
Worry implies that we don’t quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what’s happening in our lives.
Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control.
Basically, these two behaviors communicate that it’s okay to sin and not trust God because the stuff in my life is somehow exceptional. Both worry and stress reek of arrogance. They declare our tendency to forget that we’ve been forgiven, that our lives here are brief, that we are headed to a place where we won’t be lonely, afraid, or hurt ever again, and that in the context of God’s strength, our problems are small indeed. [Emphasis added by Robin]
Why are we so quick to forget God?
Who do we think we are?
Wow! That paragraph that I underlined and bolded above really spoke to me in the I-need-to-trust-God-in-all-things department. Not trusting Him is sin, plain and simple. I do trust Him, but I must check my attitude, my worry and stress levels, and remember again to submit and trust.
Are you trusting Him today, no matter your circumstances?
~robin
