Faith & Trust: Living It Out

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” [Matthew 6:25–26 NIV]

“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” [Matthew 10:29–31 NKJV]

“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” [Psalm 9:10 NIV]

“Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” [Psalm 62:8 NIV]

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” [Romans 15:13 NIV]

In the United States we have the motto, “In God We Trust,” printed on all our money. Most Christians are likely to point out the utter hypocrisy or at least the irony of this statement given our present society’s idolization of wealth. But beloved, can we all take a moment to look at our own lives and attitudes and ponder whether or not we ourselves are walking in light of God’s truth and promises? I include myself as well, as I was praying the other night and it struck me deeply how fear about the future was causing me anxiety, and how if the above quoted verses are true, how incongruous my attitude and stress was! So, I am not going to talk only about money in this blog post, but the numerous ways I find myself and see others doing the direct opposite of what our Lord desires. My hope is that it will help you all to live out your faith in light of knowing our God always speaks the truth and is always faithful to His promises.

Since we started on the topic of money, or one’s lack thereof, let’s first look at the full scripture reference listed above in Matthew 6:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you–you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” [Matthew 6:25–34 NIV]

Here, Jesus poignantly reveals His Father’s love and care for us–all we need to do is look at the birds and how He feeds them, or how He beautifully lavishes “clothes” for the grass of the field, and in so doing testifies to His promise to faithfully provide for us, who are of much more worth to God. It reminds me of California’s “super bloom,” where unusually wet winters can lead their deserts, even Death Valley, to abundantly bloom in spring (as seen in photo). Note Jesus points out that these wildflowers do not toil or spin, nor do the birds sow, reap, and store away–they are completely dependent on their Creator and He causes them to bloom and flourish with such beauty and prolificacy so as if to say, “See, my dear child, how faithful and able I am?”

Note also how Jesus exposes the futility of our worry? I could worry myself sick about our old car needing a costly repair, but that worry is not going to change ANYTHING. What I can do and what will change the situation is ask my Heavenly Father to provide for the need, then wait for Him to faithfully answer. I don’t know how many times we have had money provided to us out of the blue, or have been led to a new job that will cover the cost, or have received an unexpected bonus on my paycheck (and no, I did not get a new Cadillac like some prosperity teachers suggest!). My worry and fretting were fruitless endeavors, the result of cascading fears about tomorrow and a sundry host of what ifs. Brothers and sisters, when you catch yourself worrying, stop and pray to our perfect Provider–the one who perfectly provided for our salvation is the same One who provides for our daily needs. Ask the Lord to help you live this out in practice. If you suffer from undo anxiety, panic attacks, or even non-medical depression, do what His Word says: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” [1 Peter 5:7 NIV] Paul also tells us through the Holy Spirit, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 4:6–7 ESV]

I would like you all to know that I have struggled with anxiety for many years, and want to encourage others who have the same struggle that there is hope. There is usually no instant fix if stress and anxiety are one of your deeply ingrained habits. We need to learn to actively confront our false beliefs (aka fears) by first recognizing them, because they are so automatic and pernicious that many times we just think it’s “normal.” But I guarantee it is not for a Christian. For example, if we are a young believer, our thought process could go something like this: My car broke down and I don’t have the money to fix it so I may lose my job. Then I won’t be able to pay the rent, and I’ll be evicted and have to live on the street. I guess God doesn’t love me after all. And so on. Or you could be a seasoned believer and think something like: Why do I have cancer? Where did I go wrong? Is God mad at me? Is He punishing me? Do you see how the fear has an immediate domino effect? How do we refute these nagging ideas?

With the Word of God: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” [1 John 4:16–18 ESV] Let me just note here that to have fearful thoughts is not necessarily sinful in itself, but becomes sinful when we act on it contrary to faith. For example, the man with the car problem could decide to steal something to pay for the repair out of desperation. Or the cancer patient could start to believe God is unjust and become bitter in their heart and stop going to church. The temptation comes when our actions are informed by fear in a negative and unfruitful way.

We are in a battle with an enemy who knows our insecurities and wants to pigeonhole us into the world’s mindset in order to prevent us from renewing our minds to think with faith: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” [Romans 12:2 NKJV] We also have to know what is true, so reading the Bible is a must. Now, we can know something is true, but Satan will use our insecurities to sow doubt in our minds. So we need to pray and confess those fearful thoughts to our Heavenly Father and ask Him to make us stand on His Word, which always proves true: “As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.” [Psalm 18:30 NKJV]

So we need to recognize our false belief, renew our minds with the truth, and repent of our lack of faith. Jesus often rebuked His own disciples, saying, “O you of little faith!” So do not be discouraged. These same men by the power of the Holy Spirit grew in faith and firmly planted God’s household, “which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” [1 Timothy 3:15 NIV] If the Lord could work through this ragtag band of disciples who were slow to believe God’s promises, often too quick to speak and act, and otherwise socially insignificant, He can surely work through you and me as He builds His kingdom which is not of this world.

How else can we practically live out our faith? What about if we fear for our lives? Now, in this country we rarely face death or suffer because of our faith. This is not so in other countries where families not only disown new believers but set their minds on killing them; where imprisonment for your faith is probable; where death is a real possibility. But can I ask how did you all do during the COVID pandemic? Did your fear motivate and influence your choices? Mine did. I specifically quit a particular job because of my fear of this new and unknown illness. I did not do as the Apostle John instructs in his first letter, nor Paul in his letter to the Romans:

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” [1 John 3:16–18 NIV]

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship.” [Romans 12:1 NIV]

I once read a pastor that said that the only problem with living sacrifices is that they keep crawling off the altar! This is so true. Tim Keller said something remarkable about being a living sacrifice and life here in the U.S.:

“A living sacrifice means every day, every hour, every moment, right now you have to deliberately, consciously, continually, and perpetually offer yourself to him. It’s constant. It’s never over. It’s intense… You’re not living the Christian life unless you put to death the idea that you have a right to live as you choose. I can’t believe I’m saying this in the middle of America. I can’t believe I’m actually pointing out to you that there probably has never been a culture in the history of the world more averse to the very essence of what it means to live a Christian life.”

Indeed. We live in a society based upon the notions that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are “unalienable rights.” We place high value on individual “freedom,” which many times means in translation license to behave badly. Keller is right. It is especially hard for the Church here in America to untangle itself from the ideologies that have formed the very basis of our country, so much so that a phrase like “living sacrifice” seems alien and radical. Beloved, this was not fanatical but expected in the early church, and it is lived out in other countries around the world moment by moment.

So, how can we also live it out in practical ways in our homes, at our jobs, or in the values we profess? Our go-to source is God’s Word. Jesus said we should not fear man nor death:

“Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” [Matthew 10:27–31 NKJV]

I love how Jesus puts our lives squarely in God’s capable and sovereign hands. Truly, our days are numbered by the Lord, not by our own vain attempts to lengthen them. How many times do the gospels say that no harm could be done to Jesus “because his hour had not yet come?” [John 7:30 ESV] We do not leave this world “apart from our Father’s will.” Why then fret or fear? The fact that the very hairs on our heads are all numbered should comfort us; it tells us that the Lord keeps track of even our smallest details, and therefore, we can trust Him with all our lives.

What other ways can we live out our faith, our trust in God? How about in times of political unrest? Our current political climate here in the good ol’ USA is quite polarized. Do we fear the future, do we fret about who will be the next president, or do we rest in the Lord’s exquisite foreknowledge, wisdom, and goodness? Do we focus on Christ or the country’s problems? Do we pray for our leaders?

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” [1 Timothy 2:1–4 ESV]

So, I’ve talked a bit about fear of being in lack, fear of loss of life, and fear of the future. Beloved, I encourage you to pray and ask the Lord to reveal to you ways each of you can live out your faith and walk in the truth of His Word. Note how undue fear is our enemy, the kind that makes us anxious and sick? It is the antithesis of trust and love. Pray that the Lord grants the Church mercy in this country, that we wake from our long slumber, and be a people ready for His return. Pray that the Lord would help us resist fear through the power of the Holy Spirit, so that we can experience His peace in every situation. Amen.

“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 ESV]

Image via Kelly3339 from Pixabay