Have you ever wondered if you could trust God with your story? With your circumstances? With your struggles? With your dreams? Let me share why I had trouble trusting God as a new Christians…
I hopped up on the counter at the soda fountain and placed my five-year-old feet on the spinning stool in front of me. Dad sipped on a Coke and talked to the lady behind the counter with the red-and-white-striped apron tied around her waist.
“This is my little girl,” Daddy said with a smile. “She’s a little monkey.”
“Why, Allan, she’s just as cute as she can be.”
For a moment, I thought I was.
I stood in the front yard waiting for the screaming to stop before I went back inside. Dad was drunk again, and Mom was screaming at the top of her lungs. Why couldn’t he see how afraid I was? Why did he drink? Why did Mom yell? Why did they hit each other? After 17 years of these volcanic outbursts, you’d think I’d be used to it. But they always took me by surprise.
The next day came with many tears and promises. “I’ll never do it again,” Dad said. “I am so sorry.”
But there was always a next time. I couldn’t trust him.
When I became a Christian, I understood God’s amazing love for me. But I wondered, could I trust Him? Could I trust God with my hopes and fears, days and years? When you understand the depth of His love, the answer is always yes. Perfect love drives away all fear, kicks it out the door, gives it the boot (1 John 4:18). I love how another translation says 1 John 4:18:
There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection] (ampc).
I could relate to the rejected Jesus and easily accept the indescribable gift He gave. I marveled at God’s love. I truly did. But when it came time to trust my heavenly Father with my hopes and dreams… that was a different story. For the longest time, when conflicts arose, I became that teenage girl looking in the crowd for a daddy who wasn’t there. Could I trust this heavenly Father? I wasn’t so sure.
But one day God spoke to my heart in a poignant way. He seemed to say, take your father’s face off Mine,. I am not like your earthly father. I am your heavenly Father. Through the years I’ve learned:
God is always good.
God always tells the truth.
God wants what’s best for you.
You can trust Him.
It’s easy to trust God when life is good. But when a child rebels, the bank account dwindles, or the biopsy comes back saying the tumor is malignant, we wonder. Is God really good? We know in our heads that He is, but the heart struggles to believe. We wonder if we can really trust God with our stories.
The enemy peddles the lie that God is not good—that He’s holding out on us. That’s what satan told Eve. God is holding out on you. You can’t trust Him. You will not die.
Then disappointment hits and satan says, “Told you so.”
Life is filled with disappointments. And it’s during those times of disappointment that the enemy sows seeds of distrust with thoughts of mistrust. Disappointment and discouragement become the breeding ground for Satan’s lies to take root.
Can you imagine how the disciples must have felt as the stone rolled in front of Jesus’ tomb? How could this happen? Where is God? We thought He was going to restore Israel? But three days later, when Jesus rose from the grave and appeared to them in all His glory, they knew the answer. God had a greater plan. The story wasn’t over.
And friend, you can trust that God has more to write in your story too.
Heavenly Father, I am so glad I can trust You with my hopes, my dreams, my fears, and my years. I know that You have a good plan for me. Even when I am disappointed and heartbroken, help me to trust that Your ways are perfect. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Ponder this verse: “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” (Psalm 9:10 NIV)
What are you trusting God for today?
Do you trust God to write your story? Do you trust Him to turn your worst chapters into your greatest victories?
My new book, When You Don’t Like Your Story, challenges us to ask: What if God doesn’t want us to rip out our difficult stories but repurpose them for good?
Your story is not over. God is still holding the pen. Join me in discovering how your most difficult chapters qualify you for an even greater purpose than you would have ever known without them. In fact, the worst parts of your story might just be what God uses the most. So sink deep into God’s life-changing truths. The next chapter is just beginning. When You Don’t Like Your Story also includes an in-depth Bible study for individuals and groups. And…drumroll…the 6-Week Video teaching series has just been added to the bookstore!
Comments 20
Thank you Sharon for my reality check thru this book. I can relate in so many ways with my stories and believe God is moving mightily in my life
I love getting these messages and they always seem to come at the right time; a time where trust is not really there, fear escalates, and shame builds. Life can be so destructive in all ways and so hard. I’m still suffering from a divorce that has crushed me in so many ways to the point of feeling like I don’t even exist and I don’t have a purpose. I need to renew my trust and call to my lord and savior at all times. It’s so hard sometimes when I wish he could just come and hug me and tell me it’s going to be okay.
Sue,
I just read your comment and then opened another email with my Bible verse of the day. I immediately felt the Holy Spirit’s prompting to share it with you. “To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, LORD my God, brought my life up from the pit.” Jonah 2:6
Praying as I do this study that God will reveal to me how he wants me to use those yucky chapters in my story.
This is helping me realize the affect of how I discipline my children. To do it more with love and not anger. I don’t want them to fear me and tremble 😥. Been asking Jesus to calm my heart and temper every morning, to not lose my peace.
I think I just read my childhood!! I could never trust my father either and then I met my husband, married 11.5 years and he passed away with cancer. I am just so sad 🙁 I often wonder why me….
I pray for you to heal. I can’t even image your pain and loss . I pray for your peace and a blessed and wonderful future
I am suffering financially and it’s severely hampering my faith in God’s provision. I don’t have enough money to pay my bills and I keep waiting for God to provide. I have not spent any money on myself. This is a real need and so far he hasn’t provided. I am struggling to trust! Forgive me, Father! Help me in my unbelief! I know you own all the riches in the world and I am asking for you to send finances my way!
I fully understand as that has been myself as well since my husband passed away!
I fully understand as that has been myself as well.
Debra, do you tithe? The Bible says in Malachi 3:10, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it”. I am recently divorced after 36 years of marriage. God told me to TRUST Him, and I have, every step. I’ve been tithing faithfully for the past 24 years, and He has never failed me! God is our SOURCE and uses others as our resource as long as we trust Him. I tithe at least 10% of my gross income to my Church (the storehouse) and God has blessed me in ways that I never could have imagined, through others, the “resources”. I’ve just purchased a house, on my own. I prayed, God used resources to make it happen. His Word also says that if we give, He will give back to us, pressed down, shaken together and running over, shall He cause men to heap into our bosom! It’s His Word! His Truth! His promise! He cannot lie! Try it…Tithe before paying anything else…He WILL bless you! You just have to trust Him!! Have faith & believe! I’ll be praying for you!
This…….Disappointment and discouragement become the breeding ground for Satan’s lies to take root!!!!! Thank you for this reminder that I tend to forget at times.
I wish I could have rewritten my father step father stories. When you grow up not being able to trust earthly fathers it is hard to trust a heavenly father. You have no frame of reference as to what a good father who has unconditional love looks like. I began to learn only my heavenly father had perfect unconditional love. When I hear ” women are no good” inside that tape in my mind I replace it with God and Jesus view of women and me. Much need book to address all of those who did not even have a good earthly father. It so interferes with you relationship with your heavenly father.
In the time of difficulties may the good Lord strengthen me to hold on to His pur5and plans for my life.I know my Heavenly Father loves me more than any problems or challenges am facing right now in Jesus Mighty name. Ps 34 :19 is the word am holding on.Many if the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers from them all.
Sharon….I just finished your book When You Dont Like Your Story. It was so good for me to read this. I have been struggling with an issue that goes back over 30 years. I have had such difficulty letting go of the wrongdoing. I pray every day that I will feel in my heart, the forgiveness of my Savior. As soon as I request that forgiveness, the devil enters my brain and tantalizes me into believing that I will never be forgiven and I am put to shame once again. Over and over, I try to put aside the thought and get down on my knees and ask God to help me feel forgiven.
Turning to prayer to try to smother the devil is what I do and then move on. The biggest sin in all this, is that I am failing to trust that God is a forgiving God and all I need to do is confess to him and let my mind get back on track to who my Savior is and what He will do for me …..if I just trust.
Trying to change my “Story”.
Colleen,
Remember to be ready for those times of satan trying to bug you. This passage from Ephesians will help. When I feel a spiritual battle beginning, I imagine myself in front of a mirror, putting on this armor of God. It feels so good to know He provides this for us!
“ 13 So put on God’s armor now! Then when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist the enemy’s attacks; and after fighting to the end, you will still hold your ground. 14 So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate, 15 and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace. 16 At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One. 17 And accept salvation as a helmet, and the word of God as the sword which the Spirit gives you. 18 Do all this in prayer, asking for God’s help. Pray on every occasion, as the Spirit leads. For this reason keep alert and never give up.”
Ephesians 6:13-18. GNT
What if God says maybe I want you to be disabled and he can use that for good , I don’t understand and would like to. I am not mature in love and if honest I do need to look at God different taking my own father’s face off of his too. Thanks for sharing this.
Today’s blog has made me think about my childhood experiences. Thank you for being honest.
God is in the midst of writing my story. My job is in jeopardy and everything is uncertain at this time. Management has indicated my position is being eliminated then they had me apply to a revised version of the position but won’t say when a decision will be made and it is less than a week from the impending possible end date. Pray that God will grant me the wisdom and insight needed to navigate these uncertain days. I trust that HE is in control and His plans are to prosper me. May He help me to shut down the lies that Satan tries to whisper. In the mighty name of Jesus, may Satan flee from this situation and may God be glorified.
I know God is good but we don’t always get what we desperately seek. A dear friend’s little six year old daughter is going to die from a brain tumour. Despite so many praying for her. So whilst I trust God, I know the outcome of our prayers is not always what we would like. This couple has also not been granted other children.