Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Trust Over Worry

 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; He’ll keep you on track." ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

Anxious to explore his new surroundings, Lucas decided to push his capabilities and hike the unforgiving Arizona desert.  So hot the sands glittered like gold, he quickly became disoriented. 

Soon his muscles started cramping.  Confused, nauseous, and thirsty – classic early signs of heatstroke.  He drank the last of his water a week ago ... or was it just 5 minutes?  He needed water and shelter soon or the illness would damage vital organs, and even cause death.

As he struggled physically and mentally, he spied a crude, rustic shack in the distance ... or merely a hallucination?  Lucas walked towards it for lack of a better option, thanking God for his good fortune.  He found it unoccupied; probably abandoned long ago. 

Yet it offered luxury from the oppressive heat.

Near the far wall, he spotted a rusty, hand water pump.  Its pipe reached below timeworn floorboards; perhaps a deep source of water, he hoped.  After pumping a few strokes with no sign of water, he felt frustrated and exhausted.

He searched the hut for any other source of water.  Incredibly, he found a full bottle of water hidden in the corner.  Just before gulping its contents, he noticed a message hand-written over its label.  “Use this water to prime the pump.  Don’t forget to refill it when you’re done,” it read.

A frightening dilemma: “Could he trust the note?  Will the antique pump work, or will he be wasting his only chance at survival down a dry hole?  Should he just drink the water and save himself,” he wondered.  

Lucas closed his eyes and prayed, asking God to lift his burden. 

With trembling hands, he poured the bottle’s entire contents into the pump and started working it.  Soon, he heard a bubbling sound and more water than he could drink poured out.

Once revitalized, he refilled the empty bottle and returned it to the original spot.  Fate struck a second time when he discovered a hand-written map of the region.  Pulling a marker from his daysack, Lucas scribbled his own note below the previous instructions: “Have faith. God works and so does the pump!” And headed toward a village less than a kilometer away.

I still need reminders to choose trust over worry.  It’s easy to trust God when everything is falling in line with our own vision and plans.  But trusting Him even when things don’t make sense is hard.  Very hard!

Faith’s essence is confidence in the Lord’s promises regardless of the circumstances.   He’s never surprised, confused, worried, or oblivious.  His wise and loving control brings peace and comfort in those moments when we’re called to trust Him … even when it doesn’t make sense.

All-knowing God, wrap me in your empowering love when I face uncertainty.  How can I be anything but bold when You have my back?  Even though I don’t yet know exactly where this will end, I trust You.  Amen