“I trust God”. How many times have you said that only to really be feeling frustrated, anxious and upset? Now really, let’s get totally honest. I say “I believe God” while deep down I’m worrying, talking negatively, and trying to figure things out on my own.
The scripture Psalm 25:2 says “O my God in You I have unwavering trust and rely on You with steadfast confidence”. I want to believe it, I truly do, but it is not always my reality.
We don’t develop trust and confidence quickly, it’s built over time. It has taken years to develop the habit of worrying, being fearful and anxious. So realistically it will take time to develop the new habit of not worrying and taking God at His Word.
We gain experience in developing this new habit every time we face a trial. We gain the spiritual strength every time we face our fears with courage. It won’t “feel” worry-free until we have done it enough times that it becomes muscle memory. Just like any good athletic trainer will say to an athlete, you lean into the pain and use it to strengthen your muscles. The results show we need resistance to build up that muscle.
Instead of fearing and avoiding trials, we can use them to build our trust in God. We live in a society where we are conditioned to think that feeling any pain, fear or anxiety warrants avoidance or medication. But the truth is we can’t medicate our way out of bad habits. If we always avoid the pain, the hard things, and the trials; we won’t give ourselves the opportunity to learn and grow. And the bad news is we will have to face that same fear all over again tomorrow.
Choose today to exercise your spiritual muscle and lean into the pain and fear, knowing that by going through it you are strengthening your faith. Keep professing “I trust God” and sooner than you think, you will have developed resistance. Eventually your new reality will be you living worry-free and in total peace. However patience and perseverance is key, just give it time.
