Scary Trust - Bible Plan Verse #7

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. (‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬ NLT)

Read it again.

Trust the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. (‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬ ERV)

WHAT STICKS OUT?

Trust only in God

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?

>>>OVER PREPARED HIKER<<<

If you asked a bunch of Christians if they trust in God, I'd expect they would all say yes. But we're probably thinking on a grand scale like trusting God in your eternal salvation or that the sun will come up tomorrow. What about your daily life? How are you trusting in God just in this moment? Be specific to your life right now without using generalities that apply to all Christians.

If it takes a while to come up with an answer, that probably means you're only trusting God to keep the universe running. You believe God has an ultimate plan for you, but it's up to you to get through the day. Our daily trust is not in God but in what we know and plan. We develop a routine so we don't even have to think about it any more. Unfortunately that leaves no room for God to do anything outside of our plans for control. Our personal understanding of our surroundings becomes a protective bubble we use to prevent anything unexpected from happening. While we may prevent some bad things, we are also blocking a lot of good things too. It's like we carry an enormous backpack of contingency plans that slows us down. This pack is our insurance against our fears of what could happen when all we need is to pack for the one plan that matters: God's plan. If you truly believe God is for you then you don't need to over-pack. Do your actions show that you trust in God or yourself?

>>>FREE CLIMBER<<<

A free climber can't be weighed down by a hundred pounds of camping supplies and still scale a smooth mountain face. In the same way a Christian can't try to be in control of everything and still fully trust in God. If you've ever complained about not experience God in your life, perhaps you've never let Him do any of the planning. When you let Him take control He will take you places that you aren't prepared for, but that's how you develop that trust in God. Trust in God takes us higher and farther than what should be possible. What is happening in your life right now that can only be explained by the results of trusting in God?

Philippians 4:6 Flowchart - Bible Plan Verse #3

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ NLT)

Read it again.

Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have. (‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ERV)

WHAT STICKS OUT?

Worry versus Prayer

Don't worry. Pray happy!

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?

>>> FLOWCHART <<<

Flowcharts visually map out a process. I see a lot of them at work and most times it helps me get a better handle on the path to solving a problem. This verse seems simple enough, but a flowchart helped me see the bigger picture.

>>> DIAMOND SHAPED BOX <<<

In a flowchart, a diamond shaped box represents a decision point. It's important to realize that every problem we face comes with a choice. And our choices reveal the answer to a deeper question. Who would you rather handle this problem: you or God?

>>> CHOOSING TO PRAY <<<

When I first started piecing together this flowchart, on the prayer-side of the chart, I wanted to add elements like "pray without ceasing" or "work together with God to solve the problem", but the Holy Spirit stopped me. There was no need to add anything to what God already said. So I kept the prayer-side simple with the only two things this verse says to do: tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.

>>> CHOOSING TO WORRY <<<

The worry-side is a stark contrast to the prayer-side. There is mass confusion and a constant push to do anything and everything to make the problem go away. I was surprised when the Holy Spirit showed me that the first step in worrying is planning. When a problem occurs, shouldn't we be working toward a solution? Yes, but too often our planning is how we try to take control of the situation without considering God's plan. That's not to say we should never plan anything, but you need to make you plans with God instead of by yourself.

>>> WHERE'S THE END? <<<

You may have realized that there is no end to this flowchart. It's just a continuous cycle. Sometimes you'll choose to pray. Other times you'll choose to worry. So you're probably asking yourself, "How am I supposed to solve these problems then if there is no end?" Too often we forget that God didn't ask us to be problem-solvers. He asked us to be Christ-followers. Stop trying to solve every problem. Just follow God.

Day 315

[Text from image: God shows no favoritism. In every nation He accepts those who fear Him and do what is right.]

Day 195

Day 157

Day 131

Day 127

Day 82

[Text from image: The Lord's hand is powerful. Fear the Lord your God forever]

Day 74

[Text from image: What does God require of you? Only that you fear Him, live to please Him, serve Him with all your heart and soul. Our Reaction: Only? Come on now! There's nothing left! That's all I have! Reality: Oh...right. I keep forgetting there's a lot more in this universe than just me.]

Pride before the caduta! (Genesis 11:4)

SCRIPTURE

OBSERVATION
For the longest time I was always under the impression that the Tower of Babel was a story about the dangers of excessive pride, but after reading it carefully as an adult, it's a story of fear and disobedience. The problem was that God had just told Noah and his sons to "fill the earth (Genesis 9:1)." So after a few generations what do the people do? Freak out and gather all together in one place. They were not trying to build a tower that reached into the sky to be greater than God (some Bibles use the word "heavens" instead of "sky" which causes the confusion. In this instance they are interchangeable). The were building a tower to be a monument for people to know, find, and gather around. That way they could feel safe. God wanted them to adventure out and blaze the trails to the corners of the globe. They wanted to stay at home and huddle together where it was safe and warm.

APPLICATION
What spiritual journey are you afraid of that might scatter you all over the world? What things happen that get you lost in the crowd (safe and sound) instead of standing out? It's time for you to go on an ADVENTURE!

PRAYER
God,
Forgive us when we seek safety instead of your will.
Give us the boldness to step out on to an adventure with you.
Amen