Don't Shrink Back!

Do you ever need encouragement? I do. And today was just one of those days. I was weary and grumpy and ended the day feeling quite lonely, if I may be so honest. So, instead of sitting there having a pity party, I started looking through my journal from earlier this year.

On the way home from church one Sunday morning, I heard a devotional on the radio which ended with this verse:

"But we are not among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved." (Hebrews 10:39, NRSV)

I have a few different versions of the Bible on my bookshelf and can compare translations pretty easily. (Yes, I know this can also be done with the Bible app... but I'm one of those who prefers actual books, especially my Bibles.) I took the time to look this up in the Amplified. It reads:

"But our way is not that of those who draw back to eternal misery (perdition) and are utterly destroyed, but we are of those who believe [who cleave to and trust in and rely on God through Jesus Christ, the Messiah] and by faith preserve the soul."

My question to you--and to me--is this: In what areas have you shrunk back and not trusted in and relied on God as much as you could? I can name a couple of areas for me. And in those areas, it always comes back to trusting in God. Trusting in Him instead of relying on my own thoughts and ideas and ways to get things done.

My encouragement for you today is to not shrink back and to continue to put your trust in the Lord. He will never, ever fail you!

Trust

Trust.

A simple word, yet difficult to put into practice. But when we are talking about trusting God, it should be the easiest thing in the world. Yet, what do we do? We project our humanness--our flaws and inabilities--on our perfect Heavenly Father. We project our issues and experiences with others onto Him, forgetting that He is perfect, He is loving, He is the healer and the restorer.

And this is where trust comes into play. We have to trust Him to heal and restore, guide and protect. We have to trust Him to lead and to provide.

So, what do we do?

But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust God's unfailing love. (Psalm 52:8)

How? How do we "always trust"?

Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. (Proverbs 3:5, Amplified)

If you lean on something, you rely on it to support your weight. You trust that it can bear the load, that it is immovable. Verse 6 goes on to say:

In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. (Proverbs 3:6, Amplified)

We have to recognize God's presence around us, even in difficult times. See Him and His love today. He is always present, and He does direct our paths! We have to acknowledge Him.