Trusting God when all the evidence is to the contrary

Can we always trust what our senses indicate?

Born into this world with several ways to relate, interact and experience life, we learn to rely on what we see, what we hear, what we smell, what we touch and what we taste.  What we trust is built on what we experience through these senses until a pattern develops and our thoughts and feelings begin to follow that pattern.  Sin having entered the world in the Garden of Eden and having successfully severed the spiritual sense we were originally created with (See Genesis 1:26), we learn to rely on the five senses we have left to operate with.  If you've wondered why at times it can be such a struggle to TRUST GOD, now you know.

That sixth sense having been severed from all mankind when an act of sin was committed by Adam and Eve is why Jesus had to sacrifice Himself as the unblemished Lamb.  To reconnect with our Creator required we have this sense of spirit.  This sense is regained when we are born again (John 3:1-3 & Col 1:27), but unlike the other senses, patterns in our thoughts and feelings were not established from birth and haven't developed the needed paths to follow for it to become our normal reaction to the things around us.

Trust is defined by the dictionary as reliance in the integrity, strength, ability of a person or thing; to have confidence in; a confident expectation of something; HOPE.

Now, right here I could easily go into great and lengthy detail about the psychological factors and the scientific evidences and even the Scriptural references of why we should trust God.  Those of you who follow our Sunday Sermons know two things. 

1.  We focus on practical application  

2.  We keep it short and readable.  

We'll do that here.  So why SHOULD we TRUST GOD when all the evidence of our senses indicate we should do the exact opposite?  When our circumstances are hard, or painful, or shameful, or hurtful, or overwhelming and overwhelmingly negative?  Why should we trust and have HOPE that God will work all things together for good for US?!?!?

Simply because our trust and hope isn't built on us, on what our senses tell us, on what the situations and circumstances look like to us.  And this is why it is so vital that we read our Bible every single day of our lives.  Remember the testimony from last week?  Trust comes when we are certain of the integrity and ability of someone outside ourselves.  We may not trust ourselves, what we see, hear, smell, taste or touch, but if we have digested the Word of God then we have a sure knowing that He, GOD, IS TRUSTWORTHY.  And we'll know what His promises to us are because we've read them and remember what we read. Daily we will be reminded what so easily we forget.  We will have an inkling of His integrity. And His word instructs us, so we'll always know just what to do. 

Our trust is built on that 7th sense - His Spirit that lives in us since we were born again!  Our trust must NEVER be about what we want or think is best or selfishly desire.  When we have digested His word and are born again of His Spirit, our trust and hope is built on the truth that HE WILL ALWAYS GIVE US WHAT IS RIGHT AND BEST FOR US, within the realm of understanding that this world is temporary, these bodies are born to decay, but we have Eternal Life through Christ Jesus who died for us and lives evermore making intercession for us. We often talk of Heaven, how wonderful it will be!  Do we believe what we speak of?  (Well, that is a subject for another day.)

I know I have seen amazing things transpire because I held on to who I know God is and let go of the faulty information my senses were feeding me.  I might easily forget, especially right in the midst of troubles, why God is so trustworthy, unless I read about Him and His promises on a daily basis to remind me, over and over that He is Faithful who has promised.  

We encourage you to join us in daily reading the words of life that will absolutely transform your life as you digest them.  Morning, noon and night.  As often as we feed our physical bodies, so we feed our spirit. One Psalm or Proverb each morning.  One chapter from the Old Testament for wisdom. Then one chapter from the New Testament each evening.  We'd love to hear how you progress in this Great Adventure so please be sure to stay in touch!  

Getting started and staying the course until a habit is formed can be difficult.  DON'T GIVE UP!  We're praying for you, and would be honored to pray specifically for your needs.   Drop us a line and let us know how we can pray for you!