I posted this morning on Facebook and LinkedIn asking for people to share what they have a hard time dealing with when it comes to trust. What is it that you have the hardest time trusting God for?

Full transparency.

I have seen God preform miracles with all three of my kids, and Annie during their deliveries. I have spent months in NICU’s, months worth of hospital visits/stays. Josiah and Grace continue to fight CF. I’ve helped so many teenagers deal with their parents divorce for the past twenty five years. Been laid off two times in two years. Faught a demon at 3am in my bed while trying to sleep. Traveled Europe evangelizing for three weeks. Prayed for a teen once and his dragon necklace started to glow and even burned him. Even died for a few minutes, saw Heaven , and heard Gods voice. I have seen many miracles!

Full transparency.

I thought I lost all three kids at the hospital when they were first born. I thought I lost Annie when a nurse advised she needed to see Levi “just in case”, moments after he was born. Those months in the NICU’s, hospital stays, and visits were/are brought with so many questions and crying to the point of making myself sick in the shower at times. I still have moments of fear for Josiah and Grace and what their future with CF will be like. I do not remember a lot of my sixth grade year, when my parents divorced, but my memories are surrounded by my youth pastor talking with me through it. When I was blindsided by lay offs I melted and felt like a failure for my family…both times. The second layoff was a week before Grace was born and the company knew it was going to be CF crazy. When the demon attacked me back in high school I didn’t sleep good for weeks after. In Europe we had multiple priests throwing bottles at us while we were witnessing, which made me question the church. When I prayed for the teen with the glowing dragon necklace I almost peed on myself because I never encountered anything like that before. When I was in heaven God said “There is more for you to do” and then, I woke up with my grandaddy reviving me and I cried because I didn’t want to leave Heaven.

Through those examples, at each turn I had to trust God. Each one is a pretty powerful testimony to me and I use them a lot when I preach because they left such an impression on me. Notice the first paragraph was nothing but WOW experiences. The next paragraph told the moments of truth that I had to painfully walk through which lead to my WOW experiences. My most fearful moments turned into the most trusting moments with God! But during each of those times I had to trust God that He was going to get me through it. You know what…on the other side of those moments I’m thankful for them.

Matthew 28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Notice Jesus says you won’t have anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Wait. Re-read that! He says He won’t LAY anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Life is hard at times either by the decisions we make, decisions our circles make, or because life is just is life. If you are tired, go to Him. If you need rest, go to Him. If you need someone to trust, go to Him because He can give you the rest which leads to trust.

When you are in a season of doubt, remember the last part of the verse: Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. I take that verse to mean…trust in Him and be with Him. Know that the battle you are facing right now, will serve as a testimony of His faithfulness in your life during the trials and afterwards. All of the above examples were not fun to walk through, but I ultimately trusted Him…and guess what…I’m still here! And now I have my own “Jesus showed up” moments.

Lastly, whatever it is that you are trying to trust Him with…talk to God about it. Go from worry to worship and reflect on every other time He’s been with you and ask Him to open your eyes to see Him now. Only when you trust Him is when you will finally get that rest.

Listen to the words of this song: Oh Come To The Alter by Elevation Worship.