Trust in God With All Your Heart

"Trust God" © Suzanne Davis Harden All Rights Reserved.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."~ Proverbs 3:5-6

In this detail from my painting based on Proverbs 3:5-6, Jesus, the Good Shepherd is leading one of His little lambs along a path He has chosen for her.

He lovingly looks down at His child and gently holds her hand as He leads her. He does not force her to follow Him.

 He seems to be asking her to make the choice, "Will you follow Me down this path I have chosen for you?"

 However, the child does not seem eager to follow her Shepherd, but reluctantly holds one hand behind her back while her feet stay planted on the shores of indecision.

Her head hangs down unwilling to meet the eyes of her Lord.

Something is preventing her from wanting to pursue the path He's chosen for her. Is it fear, doubt, worry, insecurity?

She cannot really see a path before her at all---only the ever relentlessly shifting waves of the endless sea before them.

Perhaps she wonders how she can walk upon such an unstable foundation?

If only she could see an end to the murky path before her! But she sees only an endless horizon of water whose depths she can't even fathom.

Her faithful Good Shepherd whom she has always trusted now seems to be asking her to plunge with Him into a depthless pool where there is no footing.

He seems to be asking her to leave behind everything she's always been able to depend on, and embark upon a path where she will have only Him to rely on for all her needs. 

He seems be asking her to simply trust Him; to trust His word no matter what her eyes and ears may tell her to the contrary, because He is faithful to all His promises and He cannot lie. 

He asks her to just believe that He will take care of her no matter what challenges come up. If only she will keep her hand in His and trust Him, nothing shall be able to overtake her.

Trust Me

"Will you trust in Me, My child?

I'll not lead you astray.

Will You trust in Me, My Child,

Though all the earth gives way,

I'll shield you from all harm, My child,

Your heart I'll not betray;

Although My path for you seems dark

An endless, depthless sea,

Strewn with wind & stormy waves,

Your safe always with Me.

And though you cannot see the end

I see it and I know,

That you will be all right, My child,

So never give up hope.

Never lose your faith in Me,

But Trust, oh trust always,

Know I love you, little one,

And in your heart remain.

© 2014  Suzanne Davis Harden

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, Thank You that You love us and will never lead us down a path where You won't also be with us, guiding us by Your indwelling Holy Spirit. You are our Good Shepherd who leads us in paths of righteousness for Thy name's sake. You are working all things out in our life for our good. May You reassure us of these truths when we are challenged by the storms of life. For Thy word promises that You, Oh Lord, are FOR us, and if God be For us, who can be against us?!

You are our Hope and our Victory no matter what the world throws at us. For in the end, as You triumphed over the world, we too shall triumph as long as we abide in You.  For You have promised us, "Greater is He that is in us, than he who is in the world."

We love You, Lord! In Thy great name dear Jesus, we give thanks and pray, amen.

Notes

A Small 5" x 7" inch double-matted print is available of the Painting "Trust God" by Suzanne Davis Harden. 

*Visit Suzanne's Etsy Shop  Wings Publications to see more information about this product:   Trust God 

Use this code GD1S8WS0M3 at checkout throughout the month of July to get this Beautiful Print at Half Price with your purchase of $25.00 or more.

"Trust in God with All Your Heart" Prayer Poem © 2014 and Illustration "Trust God"  © 2009 by Suzanne Davis Harden; All Rights Reserved. 

Message Originally Published in Peaceful Prayer Songs, Messages of Hope: Peaceful Prayer Songs

All Things Work Together For Good

All Things Work Together For Good

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” ~Romans 8:28

In the Bible, the first book of Samuel opens with the story of Hannah, one of the two wives of a man named Elkanah.

Hannah was bitterly discouraged for “God had closed her womb.” (1 Samuel 1:5) 

Barrenness for Hebrew women was a social stigma for it was important to produce an heir and perpetuate the name of her husband. 

The inability to have children isolated her from other women resulting in insecurity and shame.

Hannah’s problems were intensified by her husband’s second wife.  Penninah made life miserable for Hannah because she was childless. 

Every year the family would go to Shiloh to worship the Lord.

Elkanah would give Penninah and her children portions of the sacrifice, but to Hannah “he gave a double portion for he loved Hannah…” (1 Samuel 1:5)

Hannah was so distressed about being childless and so tormented year after year by Penninah that she couldn’t even eat. 

So she went to the tabernacle of the Lord and poured her heart out to God.

Hannah’s troubles finally motivated her to seek God to help her out of her difficulty, looking past her suffering to the Source of her Healing. As long as she kept focusing on her problem it just created more stress and anxiety.

After Hannah prayed to the One “who upholds all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3), she experienced God’s peace. She was then able to eat and enjoy the feast with her family. (1 Samuel 1:18)

God remembered Hannah (v.19) and in time she bore a son whom she named Samuel, a name that means, “God hears.”

Not only did God answer Hannah’s need through prayer, Hannah answered God’s need for a prophet to teach His people Israel His word.

  For that day when Hannah had poured her heart out to God she, “vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life...” (1 Samuel 1:11)

Hannah kept her vow even though she had desperately wanted a child.

As soon as she’d weaned little Samuel, she “brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young.” (1 Samuel 1:24)

She told Eli the priest, “For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to Him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” (1 Samuel 1:28)

For her faithfulness in keeping her vow to Him, God gave Hannah five more children; three sons and two daughters!

Little Samuel would grow up to become one of Israel’s greatest prophets. He would go on to anoint King David through whose lineage would come our Savior Jesus Christ.

The answer to Hannah’s prayer continues to echo down through multiple generations to bless every man, woman and child, indeed, all of creation today, through Jesus Christ the Savior of the world. Isn’t that amazing to think about?

Thoughts for Meditation and Reflection:

Hannah’s need ended up glorifying God through her vow, her faithfulness, and her son Samuel.

Could my need somehow glorify God, if in faith, I lay it on His altar as Hannah did, trusting that He will work it all out for my good?  

When Hannah poured her heart out to God, surrendering everything to Him, she made herself available as a willing vessel.

We can’t out-give God. In “lending” Him her firstborn, God gave to Hannah five more children. God does indeed hear our prayers.

Our needs are opportunities to look to God and seek Him for His solutions. His answers will bless not only ourselves, but others through us.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that you are able to make all things work together for good to those who love You.