You Just Might Make Me Believe

"...for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return." 2 Timothy 1:12 NLT

I have a simple question for you. Do you have trust issues? Yes, you who claim to be a joint heir with Jesus, you who believe in healing, deliverance, miracles, heaven's existence. Do you have trust issues with your Heavenly Father?

This is one of those areas people don't like to confront within themselves. It is tough to admit that although you love God, you don't actually trust Him; that begs the question, "Then do you really love Him?".

The Apostle Paul was writing to Timothy of the trouble he'd encountered in his travels as an evangelist, missionary and apostolic minister. Paul was constantly in trouble for adhering to and promoting the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was the apostle in chains and wrote most of his letters from jail cells throughout the known world at that time. Spreading the love of God, freedom from religion and redemption went hand-in-hand with opposition and hard times for Paul. Probably not what any of us would want our children to pursue as a lifestyle, right?

But Paul hits on something very important though, addressing the issue of trouble in evangelizing, "I know the one in whom I trust." Do you know the true character of your Heavenly Father. Can you, without a doubt,put your trust in Him? It is impossible for Him to lie, He will never hurt you and He is always on your side. These are facts about Him, about His character.

In our world those characteristics seem like a pipe dream. We put very little confidence in our leaders, our government, our institutions. Marriages fall apart, families split, businesses go bankrupt, our factories move overseas. There is not much to put your confidence in here in our world. But you must remember, this is GOD we are talking about. He doesn't work on the principles of this world! There is no need to become cynical and embittered because your breakthrough is still on hold. God's sense of timing becomes problematic when we measure it against our personal expectations.


The issue is quite simply taking your hands off those things that you want so badly. Sometimes this means we even have to take our hands off the promises of God! Yes! He has promised things to all of us, yet not all of us have seen these promises come to pass-even to the point where we have waited for YEARS to experience the fullness of what God said He would do!


Paul said God could be trusted with those things he had committed unto to him, those things he had left in His care. I think there is a key here. We have to let God have full reign of these things. He shouldn't be in the co-pilot seat, as the old bumper sticker put it. God should be in the pilots' seat, taking things at His pace, in His direction, with His itinerary determining our ultimate destination.


Let go. Let it go. Whatever 'it' is for you, turn it loose and leave it with Him to do with as He sees fit. In an email to my pastor last week, I made the comment that we are all guilty of imposing our agendas on each other and on God, as well. We make our plans and our way of doing things the priority. It is our Burger King mentality that tells us we can have it our way.


If having life fall into place the way you wish it would, in the acceptable frame of time as you see it means more to you than what God has determined is right for you, then your will has superseded God's!

I am going to be blunt: you cannot get God's stuff your way. You cannot plead with Him for help and when He brings it to you in a way you don't particularly care for, or at a pace you don't appreciate you then become resentful and reject Him. Here's a newsflash: God will not usually bring your breakthrough the way you expect Him to!


Stop blocking the blessings and the provision of God in your life by boxing Him into your idea of how it should be. Your God is limitless, boundless, and there is nothing He will not do for those who believe. " Everything is possible for him who believes.” Mk. 9:23 NIV This declaration was made by Jesus to a man who admitted he was full of doubt! I love it when He does stuff like that! It gives a frustrated, uncertain woman like me HOPE!

One thing I feel the need to remind you (and myself) of; there are a lot of uncertainties in this life. We are plagued with uncertainties. There is a situation in my own personal life right now that I so wish God would just give me resolve about-something close to my heart. But I haven't gotten that "gut feeling" that I so desire. I'm still just dangling, so to speak.

Nobody likes that feeling, nobody wants loose ends. I've stated this before: we all want the package wrapped up and perfect like we envision it. However, as believers we have to understand the inherent peace that passes understanding that is available to us. If we will spend time in the presence of our Lord, these uncertainties and unknowns that make believing a tough prospect will dissipate. His peace will come when we spend time with Him. We can remain steady and consistent in this shaky world. There are situations that make us weak in the knees and heavy in heart, but we can have peace because we know that God is still working in those situations...ALWAYS!

We have to trust Him, even when we cannot trace Him.

Can you leave these things in His hands, Beloved? I am not just addressing that question to you, I am also addressing my own questions and my own doubts. Can I leave these things in His hands and know this peace that seems to be so elusive to me right now?

I will, if you will. Perhaps together, we can find a place at His feet, take a deep breath and just BELIEVE that He has our best interests at heart and He will never, ever disappoint us, put us to shame, or harm us. That's the great thing about our Heavenly Father: He just doesn't work the way everyone else we know does! That in itself should make us breathe a sigh of relief and know He is moving by His Spirit and He is working it all out for our good.

Keep believing, and know that what you commit to Him, well, it's in the best place you could ever leave it-with the One who knows exactly what you need when you need it.

Be blessed today, my friends!

Jennifer Barnes
UPLIFT! Editor