Humility and Trusting

Have you ever wondered why you always have to figure things out before you can surrender, obey, or trust God in the challenges of life? As believers we tend to act like unbelievers who, for the sake of logic, have to make sense out of the issue or feel in control of the agenda before acting on God’s word.

I remember this story about a fellow tailor among my father’s neighbors, named Matthew, who came to pay him a quick visit one day a few years back. While the two were enjoying their conversation, Matthew’s peripheral father-type-vigilant vision caught his one and only son, about 10 years old, perched on the fence of the house where the shop was at. With a voice tainted with concern he yelled, “Marco, come here immediately please.”  At these words his son came running across the street as if his dad was about to recompense him for his past 4.0 at school or some commendable gestures. When Marco reached our sidewalk, however, the gentle voice of his daddy whispered, “Check out the bottom of the wall.” Upon turning his head toward the fence, Marco’s face fell in a kind of fear that people experience after coming as close as a hair to an accident. Then Matthew continues, “Do you see why I called you to come and see?” He didn’t need to add any more loving warning to these words, for Marco’s face was already displaying a silent resolution to never climb up there until the big gap missing toward the bottom of the wall was fixed.

This story kind of makes me think about how much I wish God was that clear with me when he asks me to do something hard such as believing He has blessed me despite the circumstances, or trusting He is bringing my good out of tough decisions He wants me to make. But the bottom line is that, although God is a logical being, He doesn’t owe us explanations for unwelcome events or suffering of all sorts, or hurtful relationships, or even habitual sins that seem worse when we pray. If you want a witness, go ask Job how he felt when God rebuked him for his discourses during the predicaments Satan inflicted.

Can we humbly trust the Lord to do what He promised in His word? Can we utter a prayer of surrender such as, “God I don’t know what I need but what I want, but would you please bring what serves best your glory?” Until we accept the fact that we are humans and God is God and thus humble ourselves, trusting and obeying wholeheartedly can be really tough.

May this little devotion make sense to you and if there is any spiritual benefit you can glean out of it, do so and disregard my lack of eloquence and knowledge. God bless you who read this blog post.