Richard Sims

Waiting and Trusting

If you're a believer, then chances are you've read Isaiah 40:27-31 before. My high school, the Northside Eagles, used it on our FCA t-shirts. It's printed on just about everything in any Christian bookstore. I know, I've been in a few.

But today as I read those words, God really spoke to me. Some of us are out there trying to live a life that's pleasing to God, trying to do what's right when the rest of the world doesn't care, and we're tired. Some of you have been praying and praying and praying, and God hasn't responded, at least not the way you want him to. Maybe there are areas of your life where you've been struggling to have the patience to wait on God's timing. When all of those feelings start creeping in, it's easy to begin to doubt that God will do anything.

Then we start reading Isaiah 40:27-31. God does hear our prayers. God does know what's best. God's going to provide for me, when he's good and ready. (God is never in a hurry, and he's never late.) How could I ever doubt any of that? After all, God is the Creator of the universe.

When we get tired, when we start to doubt, when we pray and God says "wait," or even "no," God is there to provide us with his strength; strength to do, strength to wait, and strength to trust. When we don't have the strength or the patience or the faith, all we have to do is lean hard into the One who has all the strength, patience and faith we'll ever need.

Are You Worried?

Last Sunday, April 19th, we started the series Why Worry, and we were challenged to read Matthew 6:24-34 every morning last week.

I did, and it was great. Oh, I had some challenges, like a problem with our house that's going to cost me money that I don't have right now. But I'm trusting God to come through with that. So I had a great week of not worrying.

But then, over the weekend, two words stopped me in my tracks: swine flu. Oh my goodness. Will it be a pandemic? How serious is it? How deadly is it? Will my children get sick?

Yes, I worried. I'm still wrestling with worry, especially when it comes to my children. (Hey, I'm a pastor, but I'm not perfect). So you know what I'm going to do?

I'm going to read Matthew 6:24-34 every morning this week. Again. But this week, it seems more alive, like God is speaking directly to me. That's how the Bible tends to work, isn't it?

Listen to these key words: "and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern."

Wow - what a sweet deal! So here's my prayer this week: "God, I'm trusting you to take care of the things that are out of my control. Help me to focus on the things that concern you and on my part in furthering your kingdom, and help me to let you focus on the things in my life that only you can handle."

That's what I'll be doing this week. If you're dealing with worry, let me hear from you. And then share with us how God has worked in your life this week.

A Time to Learn, A Time to Trust

One of the most comforting passages in the Bible is Romans 8:28. No matter what happens in the lives of those who love God and are fitting into his plans, God will turn it around for good. He's not promising to make us happy (after all, the guy who wrote this would eventually be beheaded in Rome) but to fulfill his purpose in us and in the world. This verse reminds us that no matter what happens, it didn't take God by surprise, God is in control, and he loves you more than you can ever know.

Twice I have had the job, or really the privilege, of sitting with parents while doctors told them that their teenage child did not survive a car accident. Those conversations are etched on my heart. But there's one thing I learned: tragedy is not the time to learn, it's the time to trust what you've already learned.

So if you have a friend who is facing a tragedy, now may not be the time they want to hear you spouting a lot of verses about how they should be feeling. If that's the case, just love them and be there for them.

If things are going well with you right now, it's time to learn and accept the promise that God loves you, that nothing bad in your life will take him by surprise, and that he is in control and working things out. Learn that now.

And when the bad times come, trust in those truths. You can, because you already accepted them in your heart when things were going well.

Let This Quote Sink In...

Mark Batterson had this little statement at the end of a recent blog post (you really owe it to yourself to go here and read his entire post; in fact, you should subscribe to Mark's blog)...Anyway, here's the quote:

"The impact God has planned for us doesn't occur when we're pursuing impact. It occurs when we're pursuing God."

Read that again. And let it sink in.

What about you? In your church, in your job, are you more concerned about making an impact or about your relationship with God? Ponder that question for a little while today...

How Quickly We Forget

My reading today included Mark 8, and in this chapter Jesus looks out over a great crowd and has compassion on them. He realizes that these people are going to be hungry before they can get home to some food, and he mentions this to his disciples.

The disciples respond back to Jesus, "How are we supposed to feed all these people?" Which is not an unusual question, except for the fact that just a short time earlier Jesus had fed even more people with even less food! How quickly they forgot!

You'd think that at least one of the disciples would have said something like, "Hey Jesus, remember what you did last time? Why don't we find a little food and let you do your thing again?" But according to Mark, no one spoke up. So Jesus once again did the impossible, feeding 4000 people and leaving seven baskets of leftovers.

It's so easy for us to jump on the disciples and the fact that sometimes they just didn't get it. But what about us? What about you? How many times have you been faced with a decision, or gone through a really difficult time, or really needed God to provide for you, and you watched him come through in an amazing way? But a little while down the road, when you need God to provide once again, you have those same doubts again.

If you find yourself doubting that God will come through for you, look back over your life and remember what he's done in your past. Ask him to help you with your unbelief. Then watch how he provides for you...once again.