When I was a teen, my mother Mercedes used to tell me, “Its either you trust God or you don’t.”
Of course, she was right. I always kept it in my memory and stood on it. However, in my 30’s I lost that truth. I guess there is a period in one’s life where one can be self-sufficient, keenly dependent on his own abilities, a successful yuppie, on top of the world, ultra-confident and all. There is no need for God. Ten years later I realized life is no rose garden. There were setbacks to reckon with, issues at work and at homefront that needed to be dealt with, either unwanted, or by design or by fate, whatever. Apart from it, I wasn’t getting any younger. There were new faces, younger and smart people ready to replace me in the territory where I was once the expert and the indispensable operator.
Trouble and misery come together as companions, I painstakingly noted. Lucille Ball, the comic genius who put Americans entertained and laughing in their living rooms on weekly basis, was at the same time experiencing internal struggle with her celebrated marriage with Desi Arnaz. Inspite of the happy face she put forth before her live audience her gloom was relentless. In an autobiographic movie about her life, she said she always felt there was a hammer pounding the nails on her imaginary coffin.
I think within us lies, either we are conscious of it or not, the basic metric over how we should deal with every life issue. It is one profound question that pointedly asks: Do I trust God or not? These are the two fundamental choices there is to life no matter what issues we face, not more, not less. In the dismal economy where you had been a victim of lay off, do you trust God or not? On troubles with your kids or whatever is happening in your family, do you trust God or not? In your dwindling bank account, do you trust God or not? Suffering from a debilitating illness or physical or emotional hurt, do you trust God or not? In a troubled marriage, do you trust God or not? In house payments you cannot often meet, do you trust God or not? All of it boils down to such basic question.
Alone you cannot resolve issues. At the end of your rope where do you go? I remember the famous words of Joshua, leader of the Israeli people when he said, “As for me and my house we shall serve the Lord.” When we serve Him, it is imperative that we put our trust in Him as well. There is no other way. We need to make room to allow God to work in that space.
Psalm 46 declares: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. In similar theme of trusting God, Psalm 118 reads in part: The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. “
Next time you face an issue, ask yourself this litmus test: Should I trust God or not?