Saturday, February 28, 2015

For the king trusts in the Lord;

through the unfailing love of the Most High

he will not be shaken.”

—Psalm 21:7

Who do you trust in life?

I mean, think about it. What human being do you really and truly trust to have your best interests at heart?

For me, that would be my husband, who has demonstrated time and again that he loves me just as I am despite all my flaming flaws. No matter tears, temper, ugly moods, bad decisions, warts, weight, or wrinkles, the man has my back—always. Which means just being around him calms me down, allows me to be who I am without pretense—no sparkle or shine if I don’t feel like it, no makeup, and sometimes no shower. Let’s face it—the man is saint. Is it any wonder I love him?

Now I realize that not everybody has someone they can trust like that, but if that’s the case—I have good news for you! God is a Person (three in one, actually) that you can trust like that.

And if you do have someone on this earth like that, I have even better news! You, my friend, know the freedom involved when you can trust someone so completely. Which means the leap to trusting God should be that much easier, right?

Should be. But not always. At least not for most human beings, myself included more times than I can count. So when I read the following paragraph in a book I’m reading called Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God by Timothy Keller, it gave me pause. Mr. Keller says that the book of Job asks the following question:

“Is it possible that a man or woman can come to love God for Himself alone so that there is a fundamental contentment in life regardless of circumstances (Job 1:9)? By the end of the book we see the answer. Yes, this is possible, but only through prayer.”

Wow—for some reason, that really struck me. So here’s what I wrote in the margin of the book:

Loving God for Who He is alone = contentment no matter what.

I don’t know about you, but that challenges me because that is what I truly want in life. Suddenly all of the trials, hurts, failures that have made me sad over the last year come into focus as blessings in disguise because each and every one have brought me closer to God. Closer to the rock-solid truth that nothing on this planet—not true love, not children, not success, nothing—can give me the peace and contentment I long for. A peace and contentment that is found only in Him.

Him. The Great Equalizer for those who are blessed and for those who are not. The only source of true contentment for those who have realized their hopes and dreams … and for those who have not.

Which means that when the next disappointment or hurt or trial comes our way, it does not have to define, stifle us, control us. Not if we let the reality of His “unfailing love” outweigh the reality of our circumstances. Trusting that no matter what, we can be content in the knowledge that He is not only fully aware of where we are, He is right there with us as well, commanding our circumstances to line up with His plan to prosper us and not harm us, a plan to give us a hope and a future.

A hope and a future that is abundantly, exceedingly more than we hope, think, or pray. Because I have discovered in a deeper realm than ever before, that loving Him, trusting Him, is not only our “hope” and our “future” … it’s the only ones that will ever make us happy.

Hugs and Happy Weekend!

Julie

COMING APRIL 2015!!!

WITH THIS KISS HISTORICAL COLLECTION, including Grace Like Rain, a novella about Blake “The Rake McClare” from the Heart of San Francisco series, so check back for when and where.

FREEBIES & SALES:

A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW IS ON SALE ON KINDLE FOR ONLY $1.99! My Irish love story, A Light in the Window—winner of three awards—is over 80% off right now, so please take advantage! Here’s the video my hubby did for A Light in the Window with my daughter as the model for both the book and video, so take a peek. ALITW Video.