NorthStar Community Daily Devotional

February 17

Scripture focus: That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn't stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength! Ephesians 1:15-19

What do you think it means to trust God?

I have a friend who trusted God when she made the decision to not drink (her “go to” escape plan when life gets hard) even though she received some very upsetting news – information that proved without a shadow of doubt that life for her and those she loves is about to get a lot harder. My friend is, in my opinion living large and trusting big time – but she wonders if this is so. Why does she wonder? Because sometimes our expectations about trust are unrealistic, or just plain wrong. Here are some of the issues my friend is working through….

* This courageous act of trusting God did NOT make my friend FEEL better. She thought it should!
* My friend trusted God, but didn’t fully realize that she had done so until her community pointed her trust out to her. She was so distracted by her feelings of shame (triggered by her desire to drink) that she missed her big moment when she trusted God to rescue her more than alcohol.
* Her act of trust did not change the tough circumstances she and others are experiencing. She was hoping trust would change her tough circumstance. She discovered that instead, it changed her!
* My friend is continuing to trust in God’s endless energy and boundless strength to protect her – because for her, the decision to live differently in a trust relationship with God is taking every ounce of energy she possesses.
*Sometimes trust is blind – not necessarily full of discernment, intelligence, focus and clarity at the moment one chooses to trust.

Bottom line: For today, my friend chose to trust by taking the next right step even as every fiber in her being demands that she listen to them and drink, drink, drink. This is a battle, and she’s fighting.

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