A few years ago I returned to Oklahoma for a couple of weeks during the hot month of July to visit family. While there, I spent time with my brother and nephew in their swimming pool. My nephew was probably about sixteen months at the time. He was jumping into the swimming pool at full speed with complete assurance that his daddy, who was in the pool, would catch him. Even when my brother wasn’t ready, my nephew would jump right into the pool, quickly sending my brother to the area of the pool where my nephew had just jumped in. Though my brother knew the danger of the water, my nephew was oblivious to it. He only knew that he could fully trust his daddy.
Fast forward one year. The following summer I found myself playing in the pool once again with my brother and nephew, only this time my nephew was too scared to jump in the pool. My brother sat their assuring him that he was going to catch him, but my nephew refused. He finally settled on carefully crawling into the pool, while my brother held him the entire time.
So what happened in those twelve months? Life. At some point in that year my nephew discovered the dangers of water and allowed that fear to take over the faith he had in the person he could trust the most—his father.
The trust my nephew had that first summer is the kind of trust we are to have in our heavenly Father. Unfortunately we too often exchange that childlike trust and faith for the fear and distrust that life’s circumstances often bring us.
Maybe someone left you deeply wounded and you vowed to never trust again. Maybe the circumstances of life mock you and challenge your very trust in God. Or maybe you find yourself standing on the edge of a big decision and you are afraid to take the plunge because of fear.
I don’t think anyone out there has the whole “trusting God” thing down completely. Many of us find ourselves in circumstances today where we have to make the decision to trust in God or live in fear. Step off the edge today and jump into the pool. God is there ready to catch you. Keep focused on God and not the rough waters of life that surround you.
Have a blessed week!
Stephanie
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2 comments:
Excellent observation!
Aunt Ann
Thanks for this very timely reminder about trust. Recently I read what Joyce Meyer wrote, that; "If I have prayed about a situation and still don't know what to do, I take a step of faith." That we "cannot drive a parked car": and that trust involves "not being aftaid of making a mistake, trusting that if we step in the wrong direction, He will let us know before we go too far". Thanks again.
Devita
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