Possessing a Confident Trust

I’ve learned many things from the trial myself and my family just endured. One of those things being, to trust God. I know I trusted Him before, but what I learned this time, was a different level of trust. I feel I’ve moved into a confident trust.

As I think about the difference of trust versus confident trust I have to identify how I previously thought about God’s blessings and favor. Being honest, I’d describe it as asking God for something, but just hoping or settling to just get some scraps or left overs. God I need a car…but I’m cool with just having something that runs. There’s nothing wrong with being blessed with a point A to B car, but it’s the mindset behind it that’s faulty.

John 1:12 says “But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God.” When we believe and accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior we become not only reconciled with God, but become His children. Hebrews 4:16 says “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” How can we possibly approach God boldly? He is everything. He is the creator, the Alpha and the Omega. What right do we possibly have to think we can burst our way into His throne room? Because we are His children! We have now become heirs and hold a place of entitlement in God’s eyes. Yet, I sometimes find myself approaching God like a beggar rather than His child.

This doesn’t mean I go to God with a gimme or bratty attitude. We also shouldn't approach God as out of control spoiled children either. However, when I picture this I see my oldest daughter. She has a confidence to ask her father for things. She has a confidence to ask for not only what she needs, but also what she wants without fear. She never approaches my husband with her head down and shoulders slumped. She looks him in the eye, grabs his hand and says “Daddy!” There is an overwhelming sense of trust, comfort, and again, lack of fear. She is never scared that her dad will swat her for asking for something. He never responds with “How dare you!” or “You’ve got a lot of nerve. Remember what you did yesterday!” Nevertheless, that has sometimes been my thinking and I’m sure I’m not alone. We fearfully and timidly approach God. We approach Him waiting for Him to respond with our laundry list of short comings and that’s why we’re not getting what we asked for. He may even say yes, but we need to take hand me downs because we haven’t earned new. We feel we don’t deserve God’s best and apart from Jesus we don’t. But remember Jesus is our reconciliation, so now we are deserving because we are His children.

Today I was blessed with another grocery gift card and we were also blessed with money to celebrate our 11th anniversary that past. Before this happened, I simply told God that we still needed some basic things for our new place and more food till my husband got paid. In the past I would have kept bringing it up to God in prayer. Now, there is nothing wrong with continually asking God for what we need. The story of the persistent widow is a perfect example (Luke 18). Additionally Matthew 7:7-8 is posed as a continuous action; asking, seeking, knocking. However, I realized after this trial that I sometimes begged God for things like I was a servant rather than a daughter. I find myself now telling God what I need, sometimes repetitiously, but there is a peace knowing I will get an answer to that need. That doesn’t mean it will be instantaneously or even in my preferred manner. It does mean, I can be confident that my Father will answer His daughter.

So Today as I went to the grocery store, I went in with gratitude and also expecting favor. Previous times when I’ve been given a gift of that nature I’d use it, but could sometimes feel my heart pounding. I needed to make the money stretch. I needed to get the most use out of this card or I failed somehow. Or I’d have regrets after that I should’ve gotten this and not that. That is all a servant mentality. It’s a mindset that I will be harshly punished or dealt with for not achieving my best. In reality, that standard of “best” has actually been set by myself and not God. As I’m finally coming out from under this servant mentality and embracing my daughter mindset, I’m also developing an attitude of expecting blessings. That expectation again, comes from knowing who my Father is and my place in His eyes.

As I browsed the meat department I knew I needed some chicken for the week. My eyes scanned the different choices and prices. Suddenly, I saw it! A package of chicken marked at $.69/lb when all the others of the same item were marked $1.99/lb. Then an item rang up wrong at the checkout. The worker went and had someone check the shelf. Then she went back herself to look. She came back saying the pricing was confusing and she would just honor the price. A $1.99 item for $.99! God’s favor! That was that answer to the expectation I walked into the store with. It doesn’t mean I will always find massive savings like that, but what’s wrong with walking about our day just waiting for God to send us some blessings? Instead of slumping my shoulders just looking for scraps, I chose to hold my head up and my hands out saying “God whenever and whatever You want to bless me with today, I’m waiting and I’m here.” Then when He blesses you, bless Him back with thankfulness and gratitude. When my daughter does get something from her dad, she stops to say thank you. As I pushed my full cart out of Wegmans, I said “Thank you Lord. You’ve been good to me!”

I have so much more peace changing my mindset this past week. I don’t want to live my Christian walk thinking I’m a second class citizen before God. Jesus died so that I could have a place at God’s table again. Why would I chose to sit on the floor or peer through the door from the kitchen like the help? We serve a God that loves His children with an eternal love. It’s a love so strong that our human minds can’t even fully grasp it. Part of embracing His love is acknowledging and accepting your place in His eyes. Have confidence knowing you are a son or a daughter and have a confident trust that Your Father will meet your needs. He takes care of ALL His children!