“Trust Issues”

Call me a land-lubber … being up in the clouds is well, for the birds and any creature that was given wings. Airplane travel is fine from the aisle seat; I will gladly let you have that window. I don’t need to be reminded that I’m miles away from the earth. And let’s not strike a conversation about ferris wheel rides or skyscrapers with that ‘seventh wonder spectacular view’ from the rooftop. I’ll sit this one out if you don’t mind.

Security. There’s just something about feeling that ground beneath my feet. I’m not one to sign up for parachute adventures or parasailing or even zip line activities. Nope, you all go and I’ll capture everything with my camera from the ground up.

Consequently the Lord provides safety for the oppressed; he provides safety in times of trouble. Psalm 9:9 NET

If left to my own devices, I am certain that I would remain stuck in whatever messy situation I may land in. Even if it is on land. I am confident of this because I know that I am not strong enough to even think myself into a place of security — and that’s just from a tiny seat in my brain. I know that I need a place — a person — that I can depend upon with no restrictions or limitations.

Disappointment can leave the best of us in a place of uncertainty. Someone didn’t show up when they were expected. A plan that was designed to be the perfect solution fell through. A reliable source disappeared into the night and so did the promises to come to your aid. You didn’t receive the support you were expecting from a long time friend and there’s no one else that you can confide in.

So when I read in GOD’s Word that He is our safety in times of trouble, I start to exhale and my pulse rate drops significantly.

I need His reassurance that He’s got me covered on all sides. There’s just something about knowing I can free fall into His strong Arms that allows for me to sleep at night. Of course this is not an open invitation to be reckless and unwise. But it is certainly comforting to know that I don’t have to always feel that hard surface beneath my feet to remain unshaken.

In fact, in the Hebrew, this verse says that the Lord is our strong tower — an elevated place of security — in times of distress. Isn’t that the perfect chain of words for someone like me who dreads the height issues. I can see the Lord smiling down at me right about now …

Sister, if you’re like me, you relish the fact that our strong tower has an open door that never closes — because we need to be able to run into it at a moment’s notice.

• Do you need the Lord to ‘catch’ you right now? Have you tried to provide your own safety net only to discover that it’s got holes in it big enough for you to fall through?

I’ll tell you right now, Sweet Friend, you are not the only one in a predicament of monstrous proportion. Your present situation could very well be for the sake of you being catapulted into the loving and forgiving Arms of your Savior. If you’ve sincerely prayed for a solution to your problem, look up — your Answer awaits you — you need only reach for His Hand to receive it.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
⁸ the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore. Psalm 121 NIV

I have to admit, there have been times in the not-so-distant-past, where I tried to conquer my own fears about being fearful — over new experiences, unfamiliar places, unknown people — things that many of us fret over. At some point, I would convince myself to ‘override’ my emotions and just hurl into the experience or activity head first. Some times it worked — but success was short lived. Other times I failed miserably — and vowed not to go there again.

But I also have learned that new experiences are not always a bad thing, or something to shun. I’ve learned that GOD will often times answer our prayers by s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g our faith — and very commonly in small doses. These small doses give us the blessed opportunity to prove our integrity and diligence to our spoken promises of commitment.

Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones; whoever is dishonest in small matters will be dishonest in large ones. Luke 16:10 GNT

It’s almost as if my trust issues with the Lord are circled back to me in Him trusting me with what I have been given.

• Can I genuinely trust Him to catch me if I feel as if I’m falling (or about to)?
• Can He trust me to do with what He has given me to deliver to the outside world?

At times, I have felt as though I was undeserving of His Graciousness towards me. I believe we have all felt that way — when we forget to ‘forget those former things’ that we left behind (our past, our sins, our pre-Christ lifestyle … ).

Brothers and sisters, I can’t consider myself a winner yet. This is what I do: I don’t look back, I lengthen my stride, and I run straight toward the goal to win the prize that God’s heavenly call offers in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14 GWT

The enemy of our soul desires that we continue to get caught up in this nonsense thinking so that we are so severely distracted and disconnected from our ultimate goal : Jesus Christ. But GOD knows our weaknesses as well as He knows our hearts — He designed us, so there is nothing that takes him by surprise. So He waits for us to catch up to His thinking of us.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 NET

While I am this side of Paradise, I will probably remain acrophobic. And quite honestly, I won’t miss any excitement not getting into that ferris wheel with you. But this I do know: that my trust issues are resolved in Christ. While I am perfectly imperfect in my ways, He makes it possible for me to walk sure footed as I stride with Him in my journey. His Ways are perfect — all the time.

It is my heartfelt prayer, Friend, that you have settled your trust into the Hand of the One Who desires to have a love relationship with you. You won’t be disappointed.

I love you to Heaven and Back, Girlfriend ~~

LindaRJohnson, TitusTwo Visionary