when my imagination runs wild with possibility

Trust.

Easier said than done, the whole TRUST thing. Now let's go a bit further. Trusting GOD. How would you characterize your trust in God. Seriously, ask yourself this. Do you trust that He exists? Do you trust that He provides? Do you trust in His SOVEREIGNTY? Now, I'm well aware that there may be people who read this who are asking themselves - "She wants me to trust in someone/thing/entity that I can't see, I can't just call up? She must be crazy." Well, I may be crazy, but that is a whole other topic. What I want to write about is trusting God.

I can look back on my life and pinpoint specific instances where I haven't trust God. And I mean SPECIFIC. Word-for-word phrases that have gone through my mind or out of my mouth. I can even take myself back to the 'scene of the crime' in some instances. For example, I can remember sitting poolside, in the Arkansas heat and humidity, having a thought that quite literally changed my life - and not for the better. I'm not going to rehash all of that - it's beside the point. You see, the point is --- I wasn't trusting God.

Anyway, my pastor just finished a series on Job. All 3 of my avid readers ;) will be aware of this, because I've been posting links to the sermons. Well, I understand if you don't have time to listen to each hour long sermon, so I will tell you one of the main things I've taken from it. Job didn't trust God. That was Job's sin. He didn't trust God - he misunderstood Him.

Job, you may ask, of all people? Well, who can blame him, after what he went through? Easy answer here, God can. God, his creator, who made him in His image - yes, He can be angry at Job's mistrust. And guess what? When we, you and I, can't trust in God, it makes Him mad - and rightly so. As fallen beings, we are quick to forget His blessings and focus on our sufferings; which in the end are just as temporal as anything else in this world.

I'm not going to go on much more about Job, I would rather leave it to the professionals. Check out these sermons when you have time, I promise you it will be worth it. Job's Trials, Job's Questions, Job's Friends, and Job's God. Also, I listened to a sermon yesterday, The Surprise - The Message of Ruth, another great sermon on trusting God's plans for you.

So, I've been hyper-aware lately. I have been paying attention to the struggle that other people go through. In believers and non-believers. In drug addicts and alcoholics and the painfully shy and just plain sad people (sometimes temporary, sometimes seemingly permanent), even in television show characters! And the effect of those struggles - sin. Now don't worry, I see it in myself, too. Everyone is affected; this is not mutually exclusive to one's faith (or lack thereof). Mistrust in God leads to struggle. And if you really want to break free of those chains, you must turn to Him.

Now, how am I putting this into action? Goooood question. I had a thought yesterday on the way home from work. When my imagination runs wild with possibility, and I suddenly dismiss it as never-going-to-happen-for-me, as I'm wont to do - I have to remind myself - with God all things are possible. Now does this give me free reign to fantasize about a dream life? It most certainly does not. But I have to be able to trust that God can give me a better life than I could ever dream of (which is an effective way to stop silly daydreaming). He gives me glimpses of it every once in awhile - which I think is His way of telling me 'all in good time.'

(thought of one my way home from work yesterday, written when I got home)