Pre-Decide to Trust

Someone shared with me recently about how God had spoken to her.  One day she felt the Lord asked her if she would trust Him with whatever happened in her life......come what may, would she keep her eyes and focus on Him?  She said "yes" to Him.  She knew He would be with her in whatever good thing or sorrow might come.

Within days something very difficult happened in her life.  But she said because she had "pre-decided" what her focus would be, it helped carry her through some painful and difficult days.

I love that!  We can pre-decide our response to hard times!

It made me reflect on my life and Floyd's.  We had had conversations with God like my friend, and we committed our hearts to trust Him in trials......long before I was diagnosed with cancer and before he became sick.   

And I want to give testimony to how God has helped me, helped us, because of that decision.  Certainly it's been hard.  But God has faithfully helped me - and helped both of us when I first battled cancer before Floyd got sick.  There were some other things happening that made it a very difficult season.  But our decision was made - we'd trust God and keep our focus on Him.  It made all the difference in the world!

I'm purposing in my heart to keep "pre-deciding" to trust Him and keep my eyes, my focus on Him and Him alone.  A friend said to me recently, "If our trust is anywhere but in Jesus, we are lost.  It's just as simple as that."  So very true. 

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.  Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul."  Psalm 143:8 

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."  Isaiah 26:3 

"They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord."  Psalm 112:7 

"What consumes your mind controls your life."  I am pre-deciding to fill my mind and heart with thoughts of the goodness of the Lord.

I've often shared how God has spoken to my heart through His creation - the ocean, mountains, birds, flowers, trees, clouds, rainbows, etc.  I am constantly blessed by the beauty of what God has created for us to enjoy.  So many times on a hard day, I've seen something beautiful in creation, and it has ministered to my soul.  I think it's easy to be busy and miss the beauty around us that God wants to use to encourage us.

We recently had something unusual happen here.  I wasn't able to see it myself from my vantage point, but others shared photos.  It was a foggy morning, but there were a few rays of sunshine.  Out over the ocean there was what is called a "fogbow."  

Through the fog you can see a rainbow.....but the colors are obscured by the fog so it is white.  A totally white rainbow!  It's rare to see one.  In all the years we've lived here, I've never heard of anyone seeing one.  It's quite amazing.  

As I looked at the photos my heart was stirred by this unusual sighting.  There seem to continually be things for us to discover that God has created.  I love rainbows, but I would have never even thought of a white one!  God's power and might and awesome creativity blesses my heart.  And just think - the beauty we see around us is just a small foretaste of what heaven has in store for us!  I imagine God is still creating things for us to enjoy in eternity.

What a wonderful God we serve who has created the beauty around us to bless and encourage us!

"God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good."  Genesis 1:31

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork."  Psalm 19:1

"Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you.  Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?  In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind."  Job 12:7-10

"Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it.  Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy."  Psalm 96:11,12

Through His wonderful creation God speaks to us, teaches us, encourages us, and provides for us.  How awesome He is to provide such beauty for us.  I am grateful for it!