Kenya- Trust
“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” - Corrie ten Boom
Change can be a difficult thing to go through. We tend to trap our minds in a constant worry about things we truly didn’t have control over anyways. The past few weeks have been full of constant changes and obstacles, but I have learned that we have a choice in how we respond.
I’ve always been a planner. Coming into college, I had my entire schedule planned for the next 4 years, and was eager to start planning the years after that. That mentality was changed when I was met by Jesus Who was asking me to let go of the comfort of my plans and say yes to His. Throughout college, Jesus has allowed change to be a way in which I get to grow my faith by trusting Him. As a senior looking forward to graduation I couldn’t have imagined this is how the year would unfold itself. Classes cancelled, graduation postponed, plans changed. But it’s sweet to know that even through these times, Jesus is faithful and He’s allowing our faith to grow. That quote by Corrie ten Boom has ministered to me a lot through this season of change because it’s easy to fall into worry when your foundation is set on something or someone that can be broken or taken away. Before I knew Jesus my life was built on the plans I had made for my future, but God has taught me that He is the only One I can put all of my hope in because I can trust Him to direct my life even when my plans don’t work out. The only reason I’ve been able to have peace and comfort through everything happening is because I know who God says He is and I know the promises He has are true and unchanging. I don’t have to trust in my plans when I can trust in the person of Jesus. I could choose to spend my time worrying about controlling the details of my life here on earth, such as when I'll finish school, or if I'll lose my job, but these things can change in an instant. But the Lord, Who never changes, has taught me to focus on things that are eternal.
Through this time of being at home I’ve learned what it truly means to be still with God. Because plans have changed I have been able to spend time with Him by reading scripture and increasing my prayer life. I’ve come to see that this extra time truly is a gift from God because I’ve gotten to experience the sweetness of simply being in His presence. Sometimes we tend to look for entertainment in things that provide instant satisfaction such as movies, shows or social media, when we have a God, Who not only created entertainment, but is a fountain of entertainment that lasts an eternity. I’ve learned how being still with God provides a satisfaction that nothing else will ever compare to.
Not only have I been able to use this time to grow my own spiritual life, but also the Lord has provided opportunities for me to serve and minister to those around me. With my own family I’ve been able to discuss scripture, have times of prayer and worship, and process everything happening through the lens of the Bible. It’s allowed us to grow closer as a family, as we grow closer to Christ. At work I’ve been able to comfort people who are anxious or worried and share the love of Jesus with them. I believe that God wants us to be proactive during these times to continue sharing the Good News in creative and new ways as we’re able to meet people’s needs.
God wants to use this time of solitude to turn our hearts to Him. When we become content with simplicity it allows us to open our hearts to receive the greatest gift God gave us, Jesus. Although the things happening around us are real and serious and they may seem larger than we can handle, we have the opportunity to place our faith in a loving God who is larger than all of these things. And although the future is unknown we can use our time now to grow our relationship with God, Who we can know personally, and have faith that His plans are perfect.