I AM A BLACK OR WHITE PERSON. I’m a straight shooter. I want the bottom line. Don’t beat around the bush with me, just give it to me straight and rip off the bandaid. Tell me what I did wrong and then tell me how to make it right. I don’t like emotional games and I don’t do well with the gray areas, it’s just how my mind works. Therefore, God speaks to me in direct ways and I speak and write directly. For all you bottom line people I will pose you one question:
When I come to a place of confusion or turmoil in my spirit, I have to stand back and ask myself, “Am I trusting God?” Because if I am trusting God, I would not be operating in fear, worry, anxiety or doubt. If I’m fearful, worrisome, anxious or doubtful; I’m not trusting God. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.” Whatever is not of peace, is not of God. That’s the bottom line.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
And there it is, “TRUST GOD” and do not trust “your own understanding”. It’s very black and white, simple and easy to understand. You have to stop yourself and ask, “Am I really trusting God?” Because it’s either in His hands or its in your own hands. Either He can change the situation for good or He cannot. Either He will make a way in the wilderness or He won’t. Either you have prayed about it and left it at the altar, or you haven’t and keep picking it back up.
Either God is carrying the burden or you are. He will direct your path; IF you acknowledge Him in all your ways. But, IF you rebel against His ways, then you get your path and your destructive ways. Very easy and simple. The word is simple to understand to those who trust God and have an understanding of the mystery of God; that His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. However, many twist and manipulate it in order to add their own understanding.
“as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;” II Peter 3:16-17
Trusting God is not trusting Him for your ways and outcome; it’s trusting IN HIM, that He knows what’s best for you and that He will take care of you in His way, manner and in His time. However, you cannot trust Him if you do not know Him. Knowing facts about Him is not knowing Him. You have to spend time in prayer and the Word. His Word reveals His character.
The Word reveals time and time again His faithfulness. We will go through hard things. We are not promised to be delivered from suffering or affliction or persecution or hatred. We are just promised He will make rivers in the wilderness. He will walk through the valley of the shadow of death along side us. He gets in the fire when we are thrown into it. He stops the mouth of the lions. When we see no light at the end of the tunnel, He gives light. But will you trust Him? When everything is falling apart and it feels like all hope is lost (it’s not, but the enemy works hard to get you to believe his lies) will you trust the Lord?
It’s very simple. Do you trust God?
To Learn More About Pastor Crystal please visit the Leadership Page
