Can You Really Count on God?

By Rick Warren

“Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding. Remember the Lord in all you do, and he will give you success” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NCV).

For most of us, the reason we don’t trust God fully with our lives is because we really don’t know him. We usually don’t trust people we don’t know.

The same is true with God. That’s why God wants you to know the real him -- not a fake version you’ve learned from popular culture. There are many popular myths about who God is that simply aren’t true.

For example, some believe he’s like:

A cosmic cop: He’s the big, bad policeman in the sky looking to catch us doing something wrong.

The celestial Santa Claus: He’s just there to give gifts. He smiles, nods, and never really pays attention to the naughty list.

The grand, old man: He’s the old, old god who isn’t that different from you. He has his own failures and faults. But he doesn’t have any of the answers.

The Force: Like in the popular science-fiction series “Star Wars,” God is an impersonal force that we can bend to our own will.

If I thought God was like any of those popular misconceptions, I wouldn’t trust him either. But he’s not. The Bible paints an entirely different picture of the character of God.

The truth is, God is infinitely worthy of your trust because no being in the universe is as capable to influence the world around you as he is. The Bible says, “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me” (Psalm 54:4 NIV).

God has the power (and the desire) to sustain and help you through whatever you’re going through. He wants to give you his best for your life -- and he is uniquely able to help you get there. He is the creator of the universe. He literally has all the resources in the universe that he can mobilize on your behalf as you seek to follow him.

But the key is, you must trust him.

The Bible says, “Trust the Lordwith all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding. Remember the Lordin all you do, and he will give you success” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NCV). You can trust God with everything you are because he is able to help you succeed if you do. That doesn’t mean that God will give you all the money, fame, or power you want. But if you trust him, God will help you succeed in what he has called you to do and be.

Today's Bible Verse...

Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the slave born in your household, and the alien as well, may be refreshed.—Exodus 23:12

 

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Refreshed! Boy that's often hard in any time, but it's especially hard in August, isn't it? It's either the dead of summer or the dead of winter depending on which side of the equator you find yourself. Either way, we need to hear God's desire for all of us to be refreshed and to allow those around us to be refreshed in his presence, his grace, and his rest.

My Prayer...

Forgive me, God, for being so busy being busy that I don't intentionally take time to be refreshed in your rest. Teach me gently, Father, that I need this weekly rest in your presence and with my family to be all that you want me to be, and all that I can be. Restore my soul, O God, and fill me with your restful joy. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

Today's Verse Illustrated...

Whining Prayer Requests by Doug Hall