When Trust In God Is More Than Empty Words
One of the most frustrating and heart breaking aspects of ministering to women standing for marriage restoration is the inability to help them make faith and trust in God a reality in their lives, instead of a lot of empty words that never seem to bring them peace or comfort, much less joy and victory. Sadly, not withstanding the major stumbling block of unforgiveness, one of the biggest hurdles for many women standing for marriage restoration is allowing their fears to control them more than their faith and trust in the Lord, because they lack absolute confidence in either God’s power or faithfulness to deliver on the promises in His word. Even though trusting God instead of trying to minimize or prevent the potential negative consequences of our husbands’ behavior ourselves, especially when it concerns our children, may be VERY difficult, that IS what the Lord asks AND expects us to do.
Since that was so heavy on my heart this morning as I started reading the Bible, I couldn’t believe it when I read Proverbs 29:25, because it says Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe. What a victory it would be IF we could only understand that! When we fear the consequences or results of our husbands’ actions, NO matter how wrong, unfair, unrighteous or ungodly they are, and try to control or manipulate our husbands and our circumstances to avoid them ourselves, we are falling into the devil’s trap. That’s what yesterday’s post about 1 Peter 3:1-6 was all about. When our husbands are planning or doing something that concerns or frightens us, even when it could cause us or our children harm, we have to take that concern to the LORD and TRUST AND EXPECT HIM to deal with it, and rely on HIM to protect us and provide for us! That verse is just further confirmation of how the three messages I posted from Beth Moore in my post from Saturday, and the message from Joyce Meyer in yesterday’s post, apply to us as we stand for marriage restoration. So, if anyone has not made the time to listen to those four messages, I certainly hope you will, because they are VERY important.
As I continued my Bible study this morning, it was pretty neat to see how the following passages applied to this topic as well! Here’s Psalm 29, which should help remind us just who our God is and how powerful He is:
Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning. The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh. The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!” The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever. The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.
So God obviously has the power to control ALL circumstances and situations concerning us AND our husbands, and HE will give us the strength and peace we need and seek! HE is the one who will direct our husbands’ steps…NOT THEM. Don’t forget that Proverbs 20:24 says A man’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way? And here’s one I JUST found for the first time in Proverbs 16:1, which says To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue. And we know what God says goes! So it does NOT matter what kind of plans our husbands make in the end, because what God SAYS IS what WILL happen! And, of course, that’s confirmed in Proverbs 16:9, which says In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. So it comes down to whether or not we’re going to believe our husbands or trust God. Are we going to fear the plans of man or trust God? And if more confirmation that God’s plans will prevail is needed, here’s Proverbs 19:21, which says Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. And God makes that point VERY strongly in Isaiah 46!
Then in Psalm 89”1-37, we learn even more about the Lord’s power and faithfulness to fulfill His promises, and God’s awesome promise of the never ending power and effectiveness of His covenant with us. But in Psalm 89:38-52, we can all relate to David’s feelings of being abandoned by the Lord. In fact in verse 46 He asked How long, O LORD ? Will you hide yourself forever?… And in verses 49-51 he asked O Lord, where is your former great love, which in your faithfulness you swore to David? Remember, Lord, how your servant has been mocked, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations, the taunts with which your enemies have mocked, O LORD, with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one. And I KNOW we can ALL relate to that! But look at what David says in Psalm 119:41-42, May your unfailing love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise; then I will answer the one who taunts me, for I trust in your word. And here are some more verses from Psalm 119 that assure us that we can put our trust in the Lord’s promises and rely on His word:
58 I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.
76 May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.
89-90 Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures.
114 You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.
154 Defend my cause and redeem me; preserve my life according to your promise.
170 May my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise.
So we ALL need to do whatever it takes to understand and eliminate anything that keeps us from having absolute trust and faith in God, because Hebrews 11:6 says And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. And then we must live and ACT in accordance with the faith, trust and confidence we have through the word of God. Otherwise we do NOT please God and our faith is dead, which James 2:26 makes clear, because it says As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Finally, the best way for us to be assured of God’s promises becoming a reality in our lives is to practice the simple instructions in Proverbs 3:5-6, which says Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. And how appropriate the Lord’s glorious promise in Psalm 37:4-7 is in this context, because it says Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. So let’s not let our words of faith and trust in God be llittle more than empty words! Trust God! He’s got it covered and He IS way more than able and faithful!