When I was a 4-H leader, I was privileged to be able to go to a camp in Idaho called "Chatcolab". I learned so much there about myself and that I could, indeed, be lovable and had a lot to offer my circle of people! I started going there before I was baptized in the Spirit. We learned a lot about trusting others and ourselves. One of the "games" we played was to trust someone in back of me to catch me. I stood in front of someone and just leaned back while the other person caught me before I hit the floor. That took total trust! I had a very hard time with it, because I was so afraid that I would fall to the floor and hurt myself or the one behind me. Try it sometime. It takes total trust.
Page 35 of this book:
"If we do not trust, we are limited to our own resources, and we weren't created to do it all on our own." I think of the birth of each of my 7 babies. I was totally in the hands of my Dr. during the births. I could not have done that all on my own. I had to trust the Dr and the nurses that they knew what they were doing to help each of them make their appearance into the world. And then the babies had no choice but to trust me and Dad and all the caretakers in their lives. Because they were cared for and nurtured and trusted those in charge, each of them learned what they needed to learn to stay alive and grow - how to eat, how to walk, how to talk - everything. Because the babies were vulnerable to the ones who provide what is needed, they thrived! The babies could not get those things on their own. They had to trust Dad and I to teach them, to nurture them, to love them enough to do what is good and right for them. They had to trust us to provide for them the food, shelter, clothing, etc., that they needed. Now, as adults, the grown up babies - and us - are the same.
We need to trust, we need to be vulnerable, we need to have faith in the heavenly Father who will always care for us. We just need to trust HIM.
Page 36: "So, what do YOU need to trust God for? Well, pretty much everything, but most of all, the things that you are not able to provide for yourself." On page 37 there is a list that may be helpful to help you see what you can trust him in and for. "Did you go through them with God, or did you try to go it alone? Next time, let Him help you with your needs." (you may want to read the list, or make a list about your own struggles and what you've tried to handle in your life - by yourself). "It's not trust if we have no need. Take a step. Jump in. Dare to believe. God will not let you down!" Maybe you could share ways you've trusted God in situations you could not handle without Him, and how you found He was there. Sometimes we don't see it until we look back and remember situations or times, and then we can say oh, yeah, that was God working in my life!
Some more tomorrow! In the meantime, make your list of what is in your life NOW that you need to trust God for - what is there that you cannot seem to accomplish on your own?
2 comments:
I have a funny little story that I am reminded of about trusting God for help beyond my own ability (well, at least it's beyond MY ability):
A few years ago I was camping at Dry Wolf and Dad had gone in to work for a couple of days, so there I was all alone. I had gone to bed. It was very dark in my camper. I heard the worst sound I ever heard at night all alone in my camper - a mouse! I kept banging on the side of my camper and he would be still, then he'd start rustling around some more, I'd continued banging on the wall all night so he would be still. That got me through the first night. The second night he started again. This time I could hear him running around on the counter top! Ugh! So, I turned on my flashlight. Banged on the wall, but he wouldn't stop his scratching and rustling. So I begged God for help. Get rid of this mouse for me, Lord! I can't stand him. . . . about that time I heard him fall into the garbage can that is at the end of the counter. I could hear him trying to get out of there. I got up, took my flashlight and looked in the garbage. There he was, with his little beady eyes staring up at me. I grabbed the edges of the garbage bag and opened the camper door and threw him and the garbage bag out into the dark of night. Now I am rid of the beast! However, then the rest of the night I prayed that a bear or other monster wouldn't come after the garbage that I just threw out the door. I knew I had to trust God on this one, because there was nothing else I could do! The next morning I cautiously looked at the garbage and there was no mouse anymore, and no tracks or anything of other varmints! I've never had another mouse in my camper, either! Now this is how much our God loves us and an example of how we can trust Him in ALL things. He cares about it all! I didn't really see the mouse falling in the garbage can as an answer to my plea for help, at the time, but the next day I realized it was! I thank God for showing me that He really hears when I ask and trust! Trust is the key!
Cute story! I can see you doing the "dance" like you do when you see a spider. Isn't it funny that a mouse would be scarier to you than a bear?
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