Welcome back to the show- Right off the bat I correct something I misspoke. In talking about the father with the demon possessed son and his prayer to Jesus I accidentally left off the chapter the story is found in. It is in Mark 9:19, 23-24, not Mark 24

One of the scriptures that has been a plea and prayer from me over the years is Mark 9:24- “The boy’s father cried out with tears, saying, “I do believe, Lord; help my little faith (unbelief)!”

Many people believe in God, but few trust Him. At first blush faith and trust seem like the same thing. We must believe that God exists (that’s faith), and that He is a rewarder (that is trust) of those who diligently seek Him. Faith alone won’t unlock the fullness of God’s desire for you and thoughts toward you, because you won’t fully have faith in someone you don’t trust the character of.

One saying that I have thought of over the years is that when we know God, we can trust His ways even when we can’t see His hand.

Our lives are often driven by what we believe we can trust in. We choose partners in life, friendship and business based on what we believe is reliable and trustworthy. As women, we particularly are drawn to what makes us feel safe and secure (we know we can trust it), but even our best effort to make good decisions about whom we can trust can fall short because we are measuring them up, or the situation we’re stepping into against our limited vision and ability. When I allow my trust to fully lean on Jesus and the ability of His Spirit to speak to me, counsel me and help me then I don’t have to live scared of the choices I make, or the people I connect with.

So many of us have been raised in the church and taught an incorrect picture of Jesus, either overtly or inadvertently. Maybe it was the natural father you had that was harsh and critical, or aloof and uninterested unless you did something extraordinary. Somewhere along the way we believed that God is like that: harsh, judgmental, aloof and disappointed in us unless we perform well enough. The good news is that the Bible is full of the truth about God’s kindness toward us and the unmerited favor He gives us. 

God’s deep love for us is never changing. We can’t do anything to make Him love us more than He does right now, and we can’t do anything to make Him love us less. His love for us won’t leave us where we are because He has better plans for us than anything we could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Sister, embrace that you aren’t ever going to be good enough to attain holiness on your own, but God already knew that and loved you anyway. He looks at you and gets excited about the potential He has inside of you and the glorious future He is preparing for you. Rest in His love for you today.

I believe God is saying right now- “I see you striving and it breaks my heart to see you bear the weight that I have already taken on your own. I love you and enjoy being with you even when you aren’t “doing’ anything. Just BE with me. Rest in my acceptance and let your striving cease. I will lead you and guide you like the good shepherd that I am and show you which way to go so you are refreshed and your mind, will and emotions are restored.”

Scripture references: Romans 8:31-35, Ephesians 3:20, Romans 12:2