Trust requires relationship. Trust requires our willingness to wrestle.
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4
Good morning,
I’m starting this devotion covering TRUST with such a grateful heart. I’ve recently seen how the Lord shows up when we actively trust Him (through our Wheatful Woman Event) and I’m also experiencing the unknown of actively trusting as I write my first Wheatful Wednesday devotional. As many of you know, Jantzen has been our Wheatful Wednesday author for two years now, popping into your inbox every week. The Lord has recently stirred in our hearts that He wants to expand on our perspectives by challenging myself to step out in faith and share what He is teaching me as well. Starting September, you will continue to see Jantzen pop into your inbox but will also begin to see writings from myself and a few other gals joining our writing team. We will be releasing an introduction in the weeks to come so you can put a face to these fabulous women stepping out in faith with me!
“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).
Today, we are talking about trust. We often feel shame when we struggle with Trust but can I drop a hard truth over us this morning? Our wrestling to trust Him, our struggle to know Him, our CHOICE to surrender the same desires of our heart over and over again honors Him. Saying, “Hey Lord, I’m going to open a bookstore and hope you’ll bless it” is not trust. Strategically praising Him for His goodness when it feels convenient or easy is not trusting Him. Avoiding Him when we experience challenges and hurdles out of fear that He will call us to respond in an uncomfortable way is not trust. So, what is trust? It’s the hard stuff. It’s the wrestling. It’s choosing to surrender, fall short and surrender again.
What does vulnerable, fearless trust really look like? It’s a relationship. Trust means processing your heart, desires, passions and fears with Him like you would a friend. Trust is confidently sharing your heart (and all of it) out loud, on our knees with arms open. But, here is the challenge. We must leave it there. When we share, we must surrender. I believe with all of my being the Lord places desires on our hearts. The desire to be a wife, a mom, have that best friend that just gets you, start a company, be a senior VP at your firm, and so on. If we dream it, it came from somewhere and the Lord has the ability to bless it. Do not feel shame for your dreams but know the ONLY way to see them come to life in the fullest is to speak them aloud to the Lord and trust Him with them. Remain hopeful, but hold them loosely knowing He works in all things for our good (Romans 8:28). When you speak your hopes and dreams aloud, surrender them at His feet and when you try to pick them back up...surrender again.
“Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
These last six months, I’ve been planning Wheatful Woman Event. The Lord whispered to me, back in February, that He wanted me to host an event for women to gather in a safe place to be inspired, encouraged, recharged and joined in His community. The months to follow were a struggle. I wrestled EVERY SINGLE DAY with placing this event at His feet. I answered the call, made decisions and began taking financial risk knowing it was HIS but still wasn’t certain how things would turn out for my young company and financial goals as a newlywed. As a gal that just went full-time with her side hustle, hosting an event for a couple hundred women was a lofty fete, but I knew He called me to it with all of my being. I share this with you because I want you to know you’re not alone; that you're not wrong and you should not carry shame if you answer His call, feel this dream coming to life, surrender it to Him and take it back. I took it back. I wanted full control every single day. But it’s the choice to seek Him above all fears, all anxiety, all unknowns and to wrestle to KNOW HIM MORE that honors Him. We are flawed beings. We are sinners. He is honored with our struggle to recognize our desire for Him when we fall short and run back to Him. He is honored through our desire to seek Him, know Him more and constantly fight our fleshly desires to glorify Him.
This week, what dream can you be hopeful of? I challenge you to get on your knees, turn up your palms and whisper those dreams to the Lord OUT LOUD. Say them. Tell Him why you believe those dreams are not only yours but His too. Then, leave them there. Remain hopeful, seek Him and listen for His calling, His opening of doors. When you feel tempted to take control because, like I often falsely believe, you feel He doesn’t have it and you must take action, GIVE IT BACK AGAIN. He can do far more in our stillness than we can in our doing.
- Britt Goff
A few songs we can listen to this week in hope, healing and seeking:
Simple Gospel by United Truth
I want to know You, Lord
Lord, I've been told to be ashamed
Lord, I've been told I don't measure up
Lord, I've been told I'm not good enough
But You're here with me
And I reach out and You find me in the dust
You say no amount of untruths can separate us
I reach out and You find me in the dust
And You say no amount of untruths can separate us
I will rejoice in the simple gospel
I will rejoice in You, Lord
Here Again by Elevation Worship
Can't go back to the beginning
Can't control what tomorrow will bring
But I know here in the middle
Is the place where You promise to be
I'm not enough unless You come
Will You meet me here again