Summer School

Lately my days seem to be filled with homework. The course, you ask? Trusting, 101. It sometimes feels like a course that I will never complete – one that will go on forever. And, in a sense, it will. The past few weeks, though, seem to have been especially intense. The Professor is excellent – the best there is, in fact – but He sure is insistent upon implicit obedience!

I am learning so very much, too! He has pointed out to me many areas of weakness and has been so gracious to walk me through ways to change and grow in both knowledge and application. You see, the goal of learning is never simply gaining knowledge for the sake of knowledge. It’s not enough for a baby to simply “know” how to walk yet never walk. How pointless would that be? Neither is it satisfactory to simply know that trust is necessary in my relationship with God…I must apply that all-important knowledge to every area of my life.

How? That is what I am learning. That is the purpose of this course. Is there conflict in a relationship? Trust that God is still at work. Is there fear of the future? Trust that God’s hand is moving. Is there discouragement over a particular and persistent temptation? Trust that God’s grace is available for change.

I do not always know the “why” behind what I am doing, simply that it is what I must do. And it is most definitely a choice. If I were to wait until I felt like trusting, I would quickly begin to take matters into my own incapable hands, leaving God out of it…and making a mess. But if I take each situation as it comes (knowing that it is brought about by a loving and sovereign God) and remind myself of the truth, then the choice to trust becomes easier – much easier. And the result is not perfection or even fixed problems (what I used to anticipate). Instead, the result is peace….it is peace that passes understanding. It’s peace knowing that God is directing my path. And that is well worth the weeks of homework, the studying and the hours in class. It’s worth it because He is worth trusting.

It’s a great course, you should sign up!

...UPDATE: Todd requested that the whole Worship Team send him our findings on the study of "Is Anything Too Hard For Our God?" Below is an excerpt from my study which correlates with my thoughts above:

"...Jeremiah 32 (verses 17 – 27) recounts the fact that there is nothing too hard for Him. No relationship is beyond His ability to restore. No fear is beyond His ability to calm. No sickness is beyond His ability to heal. No anger is beyond His ability to turn into love. No unmet hopes and desires He is unable to meet. What is more trustworthy than that? What is more believable than evidences of His steadfast love to thousands (vs. 18) and signs and wonders throughout all of history (vs. 20)?

'Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?' (Jeremiah 32:27) No. Nothing is too hard for my God. Not the past, present or future. Not my unbelief. Not my finite ability to comprehend the truth of the Gospel and its effects on me. Not my lack of trust. Nothing. All things are possible!"

I pray you might be encouraged, as I was! We serve a mighty, trustworthy God!!!!