Trusting God requires us to lean not on our own understanding but to acknowledge Him in all our ways. This means recognizing that His plans are higher and better than ours, even when we cannot see the full picture. Trusting God is an active process that involves surrendering our limited perspective and embracing His infinite wisdom. It is about acknowledging that God's ways and thoughts are higher than ours, and His plans for us are for good, not for disaster. This trust is not passive but requires us to actively seek His guidance and direction in every aspect of our lives. [04:06]
Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV): "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are struggling to understand God's plan? How can you actively choose to trust Him with it today?
Day 2: The Foundation of the Word
The journey of trust starts with the Word of God, which is foundational to our faith. John 1:1 reminds us that the Word was with God and was God, emphasizing the importance of grounding our lives in His truth. The Word is not just a collection of teachings but the very essence of God, guiding us through life's uncertainties. By immersing ourselves in Scripture, we align our hearts with God's will and gain the wisdom needed to navigate the complexities of life. The Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, illuminating the way forward. [06:00]
Psalm 119:105 (ESV): "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
Reflection: How can you incorporate more of God's Word into your daily routine this week? What specific steps will you take to ensure it becomes a guiding light in your life?
Day 3: Aligning with God's Will
Trusting God involves submitting our will to His, seeking His kingdom first, and aligning our lives with His purpose. This submission is a daily act of faith and obedience, requiring us to let go of our own desires and embrace God's greater plan. It is about seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, trusting that all other things will be added to us. By aligning our hearts with God's will, we find true fulfillment and purpose, knowing that His plans are for our ultimate good. [07:43]
Matthew 6:33 (ESV): "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to submit to God's will? How can you actively seek His kingdom first in this area today?
Day 4: Casting Your Cares
We are encouraged to cast all our anxieties and concerns on God, knowing that He cares for us. This act of trust frees us from the burdens of worry and allows us to rest in His peace. By casting our cares upon Him, we acknowledge that He is in control and that His love for us is unwavering. It is a reminder that we are not alone in our struggles and that God is always present, ready to carry our burdens and provide the peace that surpasses all understanding. [13:19]
1 Peter 5:7 (ESV): "Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."
Reflection: What is one specific worry or anxiety you are holding onto? How can you release it to God today and trust Him to handle it?
Day 5: Enduring Through Trials
Trusting God in the process means enduring trials with faith, as exemplified by Job and the Hebrew boys. Their stories remind us that God is with us in the fire and that He is able to deliver us. Trials are not meant to break us but to strengthen our faith and deepen our reliance on God. By trusting Him through the challenges, we develop perseverance and character, knowing that He is working all things together for our good. [18:12]
James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Reflection: Think of a current trial you are facing. How can you shift your perspective to see it as an opportunity for growth and deeper trust in God?
Sermon Summary
Trusting God in the process is a profound journey that requires faith, patience, and submission. Proverbs 3:5-6 serves as a guiding light, urging us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and not to lean on our own understanding. This trust is not passive but active, requiring us to acknowledge God in all our ways so that He can direct our paths. The process of trusting God involves recognizing that His ways and thoughts are higher than ours, and that His plans for us are for good, not for disaster.
The process begins with the Word, as John 1:1 reminds us that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This foundational truth assures us that God is the Alpha and Omega, knowing the end from the beginning. Our lives are part of His divine process, and though it may not always look or feel good, it is always working for our good, as Romans 8:28 promises.
Solomon, in his wisdom, emphasizes the importance of submitting to God’s will and seeking His kingdom first. This submission is not just about obedience but about aligning our hearts, wills, and lives with God’s purpose. It involves letting go of our own understanding and embracing God’s wisdom, which is freely given to those who ask, as James 1:5 states.
The process also involves casting our cares upon God, knowing that He cares for us deeply. It’s about trusting Him with our anxieties, pains, and concerns, and believing that He will never leave us nor forsake us. This trust is exemplified by biblical figures like Job, who, despite losing everything, declared his unwavering trust in God.
Ultimately, trusting God in the process is about submitting our hearts, wills, and sins to Him. It’s about living not by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. It’s about looking to the hills from where our help comes and believing that God is able to deliver us, just as He did for the Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace.
Key Takeaways
1. Trust in God's Plan: Trusting God requires us to lean not on our own understanding but to acknowledge Him in all our ways. This means recognizing that His plans are higher and better than ours, even when we cannot see the full picture. [04:06]
2. The Process Begins with the Word: The journey of trust starts with the Word of God, which is foundational to our faith. John 1:1 reminds us that the Word was with God and was God, emphasizing the importance of grounding our lives in His truth. [06:00]
3. Submission to God's Will: Trusting God involves submitting our will to His, seeking His kingdom first, and aligning our lives with His purpose. This submission is a daily act of faith and obedience. [07:43]
4. Casting Cares on God: We are encouraged to cast all our anxieties and concerns on God, knowing that He cares for us. This act of trust frees us from the burdens of worry and allows us to rest in His peace. [13:19]
5. Endurance Through Trials: Trusting God in the process means enduring trials with faith, as exemplified by Job and the Hebrew boys. Their stories remind us that God is with us in the fire and that He is able to deliver us. [18:12] ** [18:12]
Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not unto their own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path. Amen. You all may be seated. Let us bow. Eternal God, we come right now. We just want to say thank you, Father God. Father God, we come thanking you for this time. [00:01:49]
Trust God in the process. No matter what you've been through, no matter what you're going through, the AR is to trust God in the process. That means it's God's word, it's God's Will, and it's God's way. Hallelujah. But Proverbs 16:9 tells us that a man's heart plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps. [00:03:09]
The process is a series of actions or steps taken to achieve a particular end. Here it is, the process. John 1:1 begins, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The process happened when the Word became flesh, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father. [00:05:12]
God's process does not always look good. God's process does not always feel good. But one thing about God's progress, God's progress always works out for the good. Can I get a witness? Paul said in Romans 8:28, "For we know that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord." [00:09:03]
Sometimes everybody with you, they're not with you. Sometimes everybody for you, they're not for you. But I stopped by to tell you, you ought to trust God and trust the process. Here on today, because God's process here, now hear God has called us according to His purpose. [00:10:00]
Solomon said that the length of the days and long life and peace shall be added unto us. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee. Can I get a witness on today? While we trusted the process, Solomon said, "Combine mercy and truth around our neck, for they shall be an ornament of grace." [00:10:23]
Our thoughts are not God's thoughts. Our ways are not His ways, said the Lord. But we got to trust God and trust the process. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Don't be wise in your own eyes. [00:11:22]
Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts and the plans that I have for you," says the Lord, "thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end." I'm talking about a wise future. But so with us today, we're living in a "we" future, leaning to our own understanding. [00:12:23]
First Peter 5:7, "Casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you." Here we must trust God and trust the process. I stopped by to tell you, God knows all about your pains. God knows all about our anxiety today. God knows all about our worries today. [00:13:44]
The only way that we can get through this is we got to trust God. Sometimes we've been trusting ourselves, sometimes we've been trusting our spouse, but we got to trust God in the process. The song said sometimes you might have to go if you have to go by yourself. [00:14:29]
Submit your heart to God wholeheartedly. That's the first point. Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not to their own understanding, but acknowledge Him in all thy ways, and He shall direct your path." The first point is wholeheartedness. [00:15:09]
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his ways. I'm talking about the process. He said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." David said, "I will look up to the hills from whence cometh my help." [00:16:49]