Help When Life's Direction is Fuzzy - Part Two

Trust Steadily in God

I Cor 13:12-13 the Message
We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God [Faith], hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And best of the three is love.

We don't see things clearly. It doesn't matter how, I see myself. It doesn't matter how I see my circumstances, what matters is how God sees me.

What matters is how God sees my life. God has the right relationship to see they way things really are. You know what that is why God tells us how to live.

He is the only One who sees things clearly. When you think you see things clearly and God says something different, guess who is mistaken. Guess who can't see the WHOLE picture.

I cannot stand here as a model of how to have great relationships. I have failed in the relationship that I now know is the most important relationship I could ever have had. I didn't see things clearly. And neither do you.

Advent is a time we look back at what God has done and look forward through the mist and the fog to get a vision for what we have trouble seeing on our own. Advent is a time of reordering our lives according to they God says things should be. God tells us until the sun shines bright. Until the time in the future comes, meaning when Jesus comes again and makes everything clear and right - we need to acknowledge we don't see the whole picture and follow His direction.

What direction? v13 three things Trust steadily in God, Hope unswervingly, Love extravagantly

All three of these directions are relational. They cannot be done, they cannot be realized outside of relationship. God has given us specific instruction on how to live in the fog until the sun shines bright!

What we are going to talk about today is Trusting steadily in God. - The attitude of Faith.

WHY TRUST GOD?
God is God.
God can do what you cannot.

Over and over this is illustrated in Scripture. Sarah laughed. But God made the barren give birth.
God and even raises the dead.

WHY TRUST GOD?
Because God loves you.
God is not out to get you.
God is not out to hammer you ---- He would have by now!

Trust IS NOT
Doctrine
Accepting authority
A vague spirituality - so popular today....
Positive belief- ful attitude.

TRUST IS FAITH IN GOD
Trust is relationship.
How can I have a good relationship with God?
Go to God's word.

WHY GO TO GOD'S WORD?
Why - We don't see things clearly.
You have heard of the book, Men are from Mars / Women are from Venus.
Someone in response has said: Truth is Men are from Earth and Women are from Earth. Deal with it.

God says trust is key. Trust is relational. (Trusting over and over) God is not out to hammer you. If the God of the universe were out to get you - He would have gotten you. God is not saying do this... etc to wreck your life.

Mat 7:9 You parents--if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

Recall what v12 says in 1Cor 13; we see dimly.

What a lot of Christians do is think they can trust themselves and God and get a blessing their way. God is not Burger King.

Trust is the opposite of control.
If I need control, I can't trust.
Try all you want to keep a foot in both worlds, but you can't TRUST AND CONTROL. Someday it will split you in two.

Q. Where will you put your weight? The moment you give up and trust God... the moment you let go of control and trust God you will begin to experience the blessing of God.

Q. WHO ARE YOU GOING TO TRUST?
Where is your faith going to be? You say, I have tried!
Maybe you have.
But you are still living in the fog and God is still saying trust ME.

There are only three choices we have who we can trust.

1. Trust myself and do what I think is best.

2. Trust other people and what they think is best.

3. Trust God and do what God says is best.

The BIGGEST ISSUE IN YOUR LIFE IS WHO WILL YOU TRUST? Self - Others - God That is it.

But remember God is the ONLY one who sees clearly. We don't see clearly.

NAS "We see in a mirror dimly."

When I put my trust in my self - or others one thing happens.

I lose the blessing of God in my life.

Why?
Because the blessing of God comes from trusting God and doing what He says. You want to have better relationships?
Trust God.

You want to discover lasting happiness?
Trust God.

You know what makes us happy? You discover deep happiness when you obey the voice of God and you know it.

Why?

Because that is where you will find the presence of the Lord. Psa 16:11 You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

TRUST STEADILY IN GOD.
Trust is a relationship. You cannot develop trust outside of relationship. It requires mutuality. It is not something you arrive at and never doubt again.

TRUST INVOLVES DECISION AND RISK.

The decision is not just once for all, it has to be renewed regularly if it is authentic.

If you take trust for granted it ceases to be trust, it becomes presumption.

But trust is the element of risk that keeps relationship alive.

WHAT IS IT GOD IS ASKING YOU TO TRUST HIM WITH?

That picture, person, predicament is God's voice. Obey.

But you say, "I'm scared."
Me too. That is why it is called trust.

Imagine if God never asked you to do anything that involved risk. Wouldn't that be boring?

Message Hebrew 11:1 The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. Its your handle on what we can't see. Trust God as we come into this season. We don't see things as clearly. When life's direction seems fuzzy, trust steadily in God.