My Rescue (a poem or sorts)

I cried out “my foot is slipping”
as I clung horrified to the rock.
Deep below my fall would kill
jagged and deadly…deep below.

In panic and pain strength, it waned
I knew I could not go on.
And just when it seemed I would fall
and my body, broken would fail
His hand reached me at last.

Within His grasp, my breath I gasped
My life had faced death’s cold stare
Yet there He stood, Jesus my Lord
and I knew that I was saved!

From death’s fearful grave
to life – rays of light warm my soul.
For He walks beside me all this way
and I know I have been gloriously saved!

May 13, 2014 0

“Getting stuck in the needle”

“Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:24

The needle is real…
It can be possessions.
It can be people.
I can be our professions.
It can be the pursuit of fortune and fame.

This guy came to Jesus and asked Him point blank what he had to do to gain eternal life. The question alone should possibly give us a clue into the motivation. Essentially he was asking “how can I live forever?” Don’t we all want to know the answer to that question? Isn’t that the reason people have searched for fountains of youth, gone under the knife for plastic surgeries, slept in hyperbaric chambers? People want to know the secret to living longer…especially how one can live forever.

So this rich guy (or so we understand him to be) wants to know from Jesus how to receive eternal life. It’s an existential question. It’s a realistic question, and sometimes it’s a selfish question. Sometimes when we read this passage we want to demonize this guy. He’s rich, he’s done all the right things but he just can’t seem to come to terms with Jesus’ final request…”If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (vv.21)

Was the hang up on following or giving? Jesus seems to indicate to his followers that it was in the “giving”. Yet perhaps it’s both. In order to do one, this guy would have had to do the other as well. He had to let go of what he owned in order to follow Messiah and receive eternity.

He got stuck.

A few years ago I had the opportunity of going into a deep cave system with a group of young people. Down we went into this cave system until we came to a section in which we had to crawl on our bellies. The cavern we were in connected to a much larger more beautiful cavern but to get to the next “room” we had to get down on our bellies and crawl through a tight crevice in the rock. It was only about ten feet of crawling beneath this massive rock formation, but for some panic set in. Halfway through my “crawl” I came upon a segment in which I nearly got stuck. I had, in my pockets, placed keys and a wallet. As I crawled I hit a snag because of these bulky items in my pocket and I had to make a decision. I couldn’t go any further until I emptied my pockets. I breathed deeply for a few seconds and then worked my hand back down to my pockets in order to free myself from the snag. If I hadn’t emptied my pockets (which I re-positioned in my hand for the rest of the journey) I would not have been able to complete the journey through the small crevice and see the magnificence of the next cavern. I would have been stuck!

What are we stuck on?

This guy couldn’t make that next step in the journey because he was stuck on his possessions. Jesus was calling him to make this change and yet he was stuck. It’s easy to point the finger at this guy and say “well it was because he was so rich”…but how often do we find ourselves clutching onto things that are preventing us from moving on in this spiritual journey?

We’re on the crawl and we’ve hit a snag. Unless we make some changes we cannot move on…we cannot progress. We might not get into the “next room”. You see the “next room” isn’t even about seeing heaven, it’s more about being with Jesus, the One who has brought us this salvation and the power to even move forward.

So the question that we must ask ourselves is this: “What are we stuck on?”
What is holding us back from saying “Yes I will follow You anywhere and everywhere!”

Are you stuck with your finances?
How about your place of employment?
or…
Your pursuit of fame, fortune, notoriety, relationships, family…

All of these things can become a sticking point for us if they become our complete obsession in life.
Are you stuck right now?
Have you hit the panic mode yet?
Do you even recognize that these things are holding you back? Do you understand Christ has called you to greater things if you’ll just follow Him? If you are stuck right now and you wish to finally surrender yourself fully to Christ here’s a verse of hope for you today: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” -Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) Christ promises to provide for us. Christ longs to free us of the other burdens of these things we’ve clung onto and placed great emphasis on. His way will lighten our load and guide us towards the eternal pathway. He is our guide. Trust Him!

-Just something more to ponder for today.

May 13, 2014 0

3 Pitfalls of Holy Living

I grew up within the context of a “Holiness Tradition”. If you have grown up in this too, perhaps you will understand the importance of sanctification. This is the second blessing – the Holy Spirit’s anointing and subsequent cleansing of the soul. Holiness is the willful acceptance of the Holy Spirit’s prodding to become who we were intended to be. It is the act of complete surrender which leads us on the path of reflecting Christ in every fiber of our being. It is the beginning point of surrendering our old sinful self completely as we long to become complete in the image of Christ – which is our “new creation” image.

Yet, all too often, when the topic of holiness is discussed there are pitfalls that creep in and threaten to undo or destroy this transformation of the soul. These pitfalls come in the form of erroneous thoughts or beliefs which can make ones attempt of complete surrender to the Holy Spirit impossible or at the very least extremely difficult.

I would like to address three major pitfalls of holy living which always seem to cripple and strangle this vital growth process. I use the term “process” for lack of a better word, though I mean this walk of holiness and complete surrender. I also find myself using the words “holiness” and “complete surrender” either together or interchangeably only because “complete surrender” is what is required of us when we allow the Holy Spirit to sanctify us through and through.

These pitfalls seem to be the three most influential concepts hanging around today that can cause the most damage and deter a person from accepting and receiving this second blessing:

Pitfall #1 – Holiness is about Perfection

I cannot count how many times the term “perfection” comes up when discussing “Holiness” with Sunday School classes and Bible study groups. Holiness and “human perfection” are not synonymous. When we talk about becoming Holy, we do not all of a sudden become devoid of our imperfections while suddenly becoming perfect in every way physical shape or physical form. Human perfection is not our goal when we talk about becoming holy. The pursuit of human perfection is ~~impossible~~ improbable. We need to recognize that this pitfall of associating human perfection with holiness will only cause us to become frustrated and long for an easier route in the spiritual life.

Although we recognize that human perfection is not our goal we should also, in the same breath, acknowledge that it does not let us off the hook within the realms of our moral living. The old scapegoat of “I’m only human” cannot be our excuse when we make mistakes and stumble upon this path of righteousness. Yes, we will not be humanly perfect, but the Holy Spirit can sanctify us through and through while providing us aid and strength to avoid the trappings of the old life.

Pitfall #2 – Holiness is all about working harder

Truth be told this pitfall leads to a lot of burnout among Christ-followers. Some feel as if they must do more for the “glory of God” and when they consider what “do” is, it entails longer hours of sweat and toil. Don’t misunderstand me here, the Holy life does include many sacrifices and effort, but simply working harder is not the sole pathway to holiness.

We can dress up in our uniforms and act the part and still not be any closer to being sanctified through and through.
We miss the point. Sanctification is the Holy Spirit’s work within those who are earnestly willing to surrender everything from within and without. No effort unto our own will ever suffice. No measure of extraneous “works” will earn us holiness. We must begin with a humble, seeking heart and a willingness to be taught by the Master. When we are on our knees before Him, longing to be made whole through the Holy Spirit, then and only then may we experience the all consuming power of sanctification.

The working harder doesn’t come first…it comes second. This isn’t to say that we maintain our holiness through working harder, but rather it is a response of love and devotion to the One who cleanses us through and through. All physical appearances for the benefit of others within the realms of our “works” may very well still fall within the old life. Working harder in the hopes of attaining holiness will only cause frustration, burnout and disillusionment. Instead worthy pursuits to consider would be – humility, complete surrender, the discipline of prayer & supplication.

Pitfall #3 – Holiness is only available to smarter more capable saints.

Believe it or not many come to the conclusion that holiness is only reserved for the wisest and the smartest of the saints. Thankfully (in my case and perhaps yours) this is simply not true. Jesus even told His disciples when they were attempting to shoo off children who were climbing all over Jesus this: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14 NIV) I recognize the context here but to me this also indicates the child-like faith we need in order to receive the Holy Spirit.

Here’s a comforting thought: We don’t need to be a scholar to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and that of Sanctification. We do not need to have degrees on our walls or wear a specific color of trim on our shoulders to pursue Christ-likeness. A lot of people have the head-knowledge but when it comes to the heart-knowledge the mettle of sincere intentions and devotion are formally revealed. This is first a personal matter. A private conversation with God Himself. It is a one on one appearance with God in the holy of holies. He shows up. He will never forsake us, and His desire for us all is to avoid these pitfalls as we pursue His holiness in our lives. Yes, Holiness is possible and attainable to all who are willing to surrender fully to Him.

-Just another some to ponder today.

May 12, 2014 0

Sermon Podcast: “Persistence”

May 12, 2014 0

My Tribute to Moms

We shouldn’t need a “special” day to thank Mom. Every day should be a “special” day. Moms have a way of knowing just when to call or tell you something that no one else has the guts to say to you. Moms have been with us through the good, the bad, and the ugly (sometimes there has been a lot of “ugly”).

Moms Get it

It is more than just Mother’s “intuition”, Moms seem to have a supernatural/extra-sensory connection with their children. I’m not some sort of crackpot here, it’s just that I’ve seen it in person and I know there is more to a Mother-child connection than meets the eye. Moms know what to say and sometimes more importantly what not to say but just to provide a hug or an expression of compassion, love and support.

Don’t Mess with Mama

As a kid I remember saying something I shouldn’t have. My mouth ran briskly while my brain was too slow to catch it. What happened next is still vivid in my mind. I nearly lost my nose, because the words I had said were directed at my mother. They were bad words. Words I should never have said. Hurtful, razor sharp daggers of lingo…and I was wrong. My mother slapped me on my face and I thought my nose was going to fly off. I deserved it – lesson learned.

But watch out world…

If you ever mess with Mama’s kids…you’re going to get a smack down like no other. Some say World War 3 will be caused by Superpowers and nuclear war. I beg to differ. If you mess with Mama’s kids, you might as well hang a sign around your neck that reads “I caused World War 3.”

Not only does Mom know what to say to help her kids and how to correct her kids, but she will defend her kids at all cost. You deserve to be warned should you pick a fight with her children…you might just have taken your life in your own hands.

To My Mom –

I love you and I am so proud of you! You have helped me through a lot of things. You have always been there (I know I’m lucky, some never had it as good as we did growing up). You sacrificed a lot for us kids. There were times that I know you and Dad went without things just to make sure Sherry and I didn’t. I can never repay that kind of love except to replicate that example in how I love my children and in how I love you.

As we all grow older I am learning how to cherish and treasure you as my Mother. I am so thankful to God for providing you to my life. The decisions I have made in this life were because I had the instruction of two godly people growing up – Mom and Dad. This is worth so much more than earthly treasures and riches. This, as I am slowly beginning to realize more and more, is what life is all about.

To my Wife – Shanais Strissel

My Mom and Shanais on our Wedding Day (September 12th, 1998)

I am the luckiest man alive! I married my best friend and life long companion. She is an amazing Mom, and she personifies Christ to our children! I consider myself blessed because She said “Yes” almost 16 years ago when I proposed. Since then, through the good, the bad and the ugly, She has been a rock and a light to me and these four crazy blessings we call kids. Wow…I still can’t find the words to express how much I love her and what she means to me. That being said, I plan on spending the rest of my life trying to collect those verbs, adjectives and everything in between to try and bring to light how important and loved she is to me.

For You, the Reader –

Hug your Moms. Cherish who they are. Life, this temporal thing, is short. Take time to appreciate all that your mother has taught you. Make sure you take the time to tell her how much she has done to shape you as a person.

Don’t lose any opportunity to appreciate your Mom. She deserves your respect and love…so show it.

-Just something more to ponder on this Mother’s day weekend.

May 10, 2014 0

“Grabbing the Goat by the Horns” – A Parable of Trixie

Meet Trixie, he’s a goat. We met Trixie recently while checking out other barn animals. Our attention at first had been drawn to the little brown ponie who was overly friendly. The pony stuck his head over the fence and practically demanded to be petted and fed. Our children loved the warm greeting! Further down the oblong barn movement caught our eyes, then a goat stuck its head through the wooden gate of its pen.

We met Trixie because Trixie wanted to eat. I am convinced the goat craved attention and food. He wanted our attention, the attention the overly friendly pony was getting. So Trixie stuck his head out…and got stuck. That’s right, Trixie maneuvered his head (horns and all) through the slotted wooden gate. He managed to get his horns through but once through he was truly stuck.

We discovered Trixie’s predicament when we happened to walk around the outside of the open barn to get a better look at the other animals.

Sure enough, with the smell of barn animals and the sounds as well, Trixie was not going anywhere.

The red feeding bucket he had stepped onto in order to get into the predicament had shifted and his horns were now extended through the bars.

Trixie began to panic. He was stuck and he could not untangle himself…he was powerless.

So what were we to do?
Leave him be until the caretakers found him like this? -or-
Help free him from his Bovade wooden stockade?

We couldn’t leave him there, trapped as he was. Trixie needed help. He need someone from the “outside” to come inside the goat pen and free him. Naturally it was his fault, but he was clueless and helpless to save himself…he was dead-mutton (sorry, I couldn’t help myself).

We worked and worked. The screws which held the wooden slats in place were in deep and would not surrender their place without a fight. At first the screws would not budge…then after some prying and pulling the wooden goat-prison began to loosen. The whole time we worked and pulled, Trixie was frightened and extremely nervous. I can only imagine what goes on in the mind of a goat when it seems their “time has come”. Trixie nibbled on my Father’s hoodie a bit, occasionally being scolded for doing so.

Finally, and with a lot of strength and maneuvering Trixie was freed. His horns and head no longer locked inside a self-made prison.

If Trixie was happy about being we free, he didn’t really show it. But perhaps there was some gratitude as we fed him some fresh straw and reassured him everything was alright.

Perhaps…just perhaps Trixie will remember this day and refrain from getting stuck again…I’m not too hopeful though.

Are We stuck in self-made prisons?

Like Trixie, we as people often find ourselves stuck. We make dumb choices, we wedge ourselves into situations and suddenly we are locked in – horns and all with no means of escape. Have you been there? Are you there right now? These decisions could include sin issues, but it’s not exclusively just about sin.

If they are sin issues then find your freedom today by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus’ forgiveness and His salvation! “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” -Romans 3:23 We are all guilty and need saving…we are all in need of being freed from our stockade of sin. For some of us, we are already free yet feel tempted at times to find our way into prison again. Beware of these trappings of the allure…sticking your neck out and buying into sins allure can be deadly!

If you’re stuck for other decisions that you’ve made, consider this: God isn’t a distant God. He hears us, and wants us to live a life worthy of our callings. He can help you become “unstuck” if you will allow Him access into your lives and let Him guide you through the maze of life! Maybe it’s time to grab the goat by the horns…

-Something to ponder today…all from a goat named Trixie.

May 9, 2014 0

A Psalm of sorrow and of praise

When I call upon you, the Living God
I know you will be there, you will show up…you have always been here and you will never leave me.
In a world where disappointments, heartaches, challenges and deception reigns…Lord reign in me, reign on the throne of my heart.
Blot out not only my transgressions but also the distractions of my mind.
Allow me to see the world as you see it and the lost as you see them.
You are mighty Lord, worthy of my all and yet too often I fall…I can hear you call and even then I hesitate.
Lord wipe clean this slate, let me start over for I call out to you and you hear me. I cry to you in my hurts and heart aches. I cry to you in my sleepless nights and in my doubts. Do not be silent Lord. Do not wait any longer. Heal my wounded spirit and breathe your grace, peace and life in me again.

-SEStrissel 05-09-14

May 9, 2014 0

BEWARE: Bitter Feasting and Hardened Hearts

“As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts ….” Hebrews 3:15 (NIV)

This passage is a reference from Psalm 95:7-8. Do we still harden our hearts today?
What does it even mean to “harden our hearts”?

What I understand it to mean is when we allow bitterness to enter into our lives and hearts. When we feel abandoned by God, even when He hasn’t left us, we might be inclined to become angry and bitter. Thus the hardening of our hearts occurs when we turn from anger to a scary emotion of hopelessness and apathy. Perhaps in this swing of emotion and temperament we simply give up. We give up trying, we give up believing and we give up hope.

Beware of the hardened heart!

All of us have feasted on the bitter roots of sorrow, disappointment and anger. Each one of us, if we were honest, have asked the question silently (maybe out loud) “why God?” In that moment of bitter feasting we must recognize a couple of things lest we fall into total despair and experience the totality of a hardened heart.

2 Things:

1. God has not abandoned you!

Your friends, colleagues, organization you work for, neighbors and family may not completely understand. They may not be there for you. In fact some might even let you down or watch you crash and burn (I know positive isn’t it?)…BUT God has not abandoned you! Envision Jesus on the cross. He hung there horrifically dying for the sins of humanity and He cried out “Oh God, my God why have you forsaken me?” Jesus quotes a Psalm of David here (Ps 22:1), yet the human emotion evoked here is very real. Jesus’ humanity is evident, and even in the midst of this He still knows that God hasn’t truly abandoned Him…though it feels like it in His suffering. We may not be hanging on a cross, but we most likely know a thing or two about pain and suffering as well. The pain and suffering we might experience could be physical or emotional and in the midst of these “dark times” we might feel compelled to call out to God and ask Him why He has abandoned us.

Don’t let that emotion or thought cause you to give up hope! Do not allow despair and bitterness to creep in and destroy your faith. God does not abandon His own! He will never leave you or forsake you! (Hebrews 13:5-6) The world around you might try and convince you that He has left you all alone, but don’t buy the lie of the worldly influence. Don’t buy the lie for a moment. Also don’t feel guilty about considering this very human response to pain – Jesus even uttered those words. Pain is not something we wish to keep around us, yet in those moments of severe doubt, depression and pain remember God has NOT abandoned you!

2. SO WHAT?

Do you live with fear? Do you live with pain, discouragement, doubt, sorrow? In the grand scheme of things, these are all fragments of a broken and fallen world in which we live. I don’t mean to paint a picture here of a hopeless world because God created this world so that we could fellowship with Him…there is beauty here and remnants of His initial creation. Yet sin has marred that. Sin and the fallen nature in which we live has brought with it these broken, negative emotions. If we could step back from our problems and our pain for a moment and see Us how God sees us, I believe we could possibly grasp just a glimpse of the love and potential He has for us all. Secondly, God doesn’t want to leave us this way – hopeless and alone; fearful and bound by pain, bitterness and anger. God wants to do a mighty work within us.

We have to be willing to say to our fears and pain – “So what?” When the pain becomes intense, or the depression penetrates us deeply we can look at these blights and say “So what, do you worst, I know in whom I believe!”

The Apostle Paul (while in chains) puts this “So what” principle into perspective for us:
“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me. Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel” -Philippians 1:20-27 (NIV)

The Apostle Paul confronts his potential roots of bitterness, anger and despair by saying “whether I live or die I will conduct myself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

So what if I die. So what if I experience heart wrenching disappointment in life. So what if I have to go through this pain right now. So what if I am not accepted by others. So what if others don’t see the potential in me that I know is there…SO WHAT?

If I can keep my perspectives clear and understand that all that I do and all that I say should be for the glory of God despite outside influences, then I can avoid this hardening of my heart. This world can’t shake me. I won’t be defined by others who have no interest in helping me develop and further in my personal holiness. I won’t harbor bitterness towards the Savior because I live in a fallen world and often times it’s screwed up – not me.

I am reminded of the chorus “One thing remains, Your love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on me!”

2 Principles and a pondering conclusion:

God has NOT abandoned you. He is the same today as yesterday and He will never leave us alone!
So what if the world doesn’t recognize you. So what if you face fears, pain and disappointment? God never fails you!
If Paul could say “so what” to death for the cause of Christ, we too can say “so what” to our troubles.

Some might say, “well that’s easier said then done”…of course it is. This will never be easy. This will be the hardest thing we ever have to do, yet if we can rise above these temporal issues we will find the strength to make it through!

Don’t harden your heart! Don’t allow the father of lies to convince you that no one cares. Don’t become consumed with apathy and despair. Don’t feast on those roots of bitterness any longer. Beware of its trappings, cling to these two important principles and wait on God to provide His salve to your life.

-Just a pondering for you today!

May 8, 2014 0

Truth & Dare: A Confession and a surrender.

“I’ve little strength to call my own,
And what I’ve done, before thy throne
I here confess, is small;
But on thy strength. O God, I lean,
And through the blood that makes me clean,
Thou art my all in all.”

SBS 484 – “I bring to thee my heart to fill”
-Herbert Howard Booth

This verse to THIS song always gets me.
Do want to know why? It’s because these words strike a chord of truth in my heart. Everything I do or have done…is small. It’s vapor in the presence of God…it’s minuscule and in the presence of God, it counts as a teeny tiny drop in a vast ocean.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s really not about feeling powerless or unfulfilled…this song is all about surrender.
Sometimes though, I must admit that I go about all of my “works” the wrong way and with the wrong motives. My attempts are all feeble. Sometimes, if I were truly honest it comes back to the notion of waiting on and trusting God.

I cannot count how many times I speed ahead of God when it comes to my life and my desires. Did you catch that? I speed ahead because it’s MY life and MY desires. When the rug gets pulled up from under my feet I am left on the floor in a rumpled heap and left asking God “why?” Yet all along I am asking the wrong person “why”…I should be asking myself that question. Scott why do you always speed ahead? Scott why do you always attempt to retake control? Scott why do you always think that your efforts by themselves are good enough? Why do you think that your efforts by themselves will be acceptable when your motives are all wrong. -Ouch- That hurt a little bit. Truth be told that’s a little too revealing.

Truth be told that’s me…is it ever you?

Can you identify with this verse too? Can you see where you left the relationship with God and attempted to “go it alone”? When you went rogue? Can you identify with me in how these words strike a heart wrenching chord in your gut; …and as you are doubled over because all of the air has been punched out of you are realize these words are for you…can you relate?

1 Peter 5:6-7 says; “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

We need a fresh perspective.
We need to stop feeling sorry for ourselves when OUR plans don’t pan out and OUR desires aren’t fulfilled.
We need to humble ourselves and cast everything back onto Him because He’s the only one who can handle it. God is the only One who matters and His attempts are never feeble and He will never fall short.

It is comforting. It is encouraging, and it should provoke us to get our perspectives and our motives realigned with that of God’s.
Do you feel feeble today? Have you been gutting it out? Arguing with God? Asking Him “why?” Perhaps it’s time to take a closer look at your surrender and consider if there’s more to give to Him. Your surrender might include more than you think. Your surrender might also be lacking.

Give it some thought and prayer, and perhaps God might reveal something to you.

-Just a thought.

May 6, 2014 0

“Trust Issues”

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5, 6 NIV)

Confession time: I have trust issues. I am on a road trip today. There are many miles to go before we sleep (thank you Robert Frost) and currently I am in the backseat. This is not my seat of choice. Truth be told I would much rather sit in the driver’s seat. My preference of seat choice isn’t because I don’t like the backseat, it is because I have trust issues. I would rather drive because I trust my own abilities over other people, even those close to me (sorry honey).

Is this trust issue rational? No. But it is my issue, my bane, my crutch.

Can you relate?

Do you have trust issues as well? On a spiritual level how much do you trust God? Do you have trust issues with Him? Is it hard for you to let go of the control you have over your life?

You are NOT alone!

How can we learn to trust?

Look back at your life. Have you experienced God’s blessings? Can you count your blessings. Those are gifts from God. He is faithful to you and to me. The Psalm referenced above refers to an understanding that is not our own.

So what happens when we stop leaning on our own understanding and instead lean on God’s?

–we find a remedy for our trust issues

Here is a realization that we must all come to if we are to overcome our trust issues : we do not know it all!. We don’t know what tomorrow holds -God does.

You know that phrase “Let Go and Let God?” I must admit that I’m not a big fan of this phrase. It’s not because it isn’t true, it’s because it requires me to relinquish my assumed control over MY life.

Do you have trust issues with God? You and me… We’re in the same boat. If we are to overcome this trust issue, we need to start off slowly and let go of an inch of our life at a time and give it all to God. It will take time, but don’t discount the power of the Holy Spirit to help you as you attempt to let go.