Trusting God

Trusting God
By: Henrietta Johnson (Dream Team:  Prayer)

My childhood was filled with Sunday school lessons and bible stories of men and women that believed and trusted God through problems that would make most of us turn and run the other way.  I decided at an early age, not to run, but to trust that he would never leave nor forsake me.   He said that he would also give me the desires of my heart.  One of my desires was to be married and have a family of my own.  At the age of 29 and after many years of prayer and trusting God my desire of marriage was now here.  Within the next year we were blessed with a beautiful baby boy.  My trust in God was truly rewarded and nothing but sunny days were ahead.   
Well, I understand now why the word of God says we should always watch and pray because my sunny days started to cloud up and the storms of life rolled in.  It started with my aunt contracting Alzheimer’s and needed 24 hour care.  This alone broke my heart but it truly hurt when I discovered that none of her immediate family had any desire to help in her care.  The love I had for my aunt moved me to accept this suffering task alone.  To make matters worse my husband has started drinking excessively to cope with the reality of what happened to him in Viet Nam.  He has also started staying away from home which is breaking my heart into pieces because all I ever wanted was a family.  I am all alone taking care of a baby and my aunt that is now becoming a baby herself.  I am changing diapers on a baby and an adult.  After years of suffering my aunt goes to live with the Lord.  
Over the next several years my husbands drinking and days away from home got worse.  There are days you wonder whether your prayers are being heard.  All my life I have trusted God and I was not about to stop now.  I was reminded of Proverbs 3: 5-6 (Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths).   Well, just as I was gaining strength I heard a knock on the door.  There were two police officers standing at the door about to say the words no wife or mother ever wants to hear “Ma’am I regret to inform you that your husband was in a fatal car accident and died as a result of his injuries.” The weight of the news and my broken heart dropped me to my knees.  The Holy Spirit had warned me about this day but I didn’t want to believe it.  My trust in God would have to be at an all-time high to get through the next few days.   I asked God why would he give me the desires of my heart and then take them away.  I quickly remembered John 10: 10 (The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly).  About that time I felt Gods loving arms around me and I heard a calm soothing voice say, I love you my daughter and you will truly have the desires of you heart.  I made it through the funeral but I was not sure what God was trying to tell me because my life had just been turned upside down.  That night I prayed very honestly to God.   I told him that I trusted him but my desire was not to be alone.  He told me that I am with you always and your later years will be your greater years.   
God is not one to lie.  Five years later one of my aunts showed me a picture of a man she wanted me to meet.  My heart began to race with joy because God spoke to me at that very moment and said meet your future husband and he is a man after my own heart.   We met, got married and traveled all over the world.  I have been places and done things that I only dreamed about. The best of all is that I have been able to minister to people in many countries that we have visited.   My trust brought about God’s promise that my later days will be greater than the first.                    
Spiritual Truths to Remember About Trusting

1.  Trust in God during the good times and the bad times.
2.  Trusting in God gives peace when situations are unpredictable.
3.  Trusting in God opens the door for him to do great things in your life.   

Trust in Action
Sometimes believing in God is the easy part. Believing in his plan for our lives is often much harder. That requires trust in him. Not just in his existence but in his ways, his word, and his promises. That can seem like such a tall order for us when life is spinning out of control.  Begin to trust God with small things in your life (example:  Trust God for a good parking spot when you drive into the Wal-Mart parking lot). 

PRAYER:  Lord, I pray that someone will be encouraged from my testimony of trusting you.  Father, in no one else should we place our trust.  Thank you for being a God that is faithful and trustworthy.  In Jesus name we do pray.  Amen