Trust requires knowledge

Sometimes I get discouraged when life shows me how fickle it can be. But that's okay, because I'm looking forward and up...the best direction to look. And of course my head is on swivel to the things around me, but not so much towards the things that don't matter and get me down. I can only be so much...the rest is God's.

There are certain truths that I believe He can and will do: anything. I believe it's bull to believe you will stay where you are and it's just a fact of life. My God is so much more powerful than that...and I will live that out...all for His Glory, not mine. My heart melts when people give me compliments like, "you make me want to grow closer to God..seeing you and your status'.." or other compliments like that...it melts me because that's what I want...I want God to show up in my life...what a powerful life that is! All for God's glory, not mine. Someone once asked me what the best compliment I ever got was. I couldn't think of one in particular but it's just things like that. When people tell me that God shines through me and my life...wow, the best. And I want to know Him...that verse...I want to really know Him, more and more each day. It's beautiful, it really is. I don't need to know what's going to happen down the road or why things happen...but just to know Him...to really know Him...the rest doesn't matter.

It's like when you are completely comfortable with a person. You trust them. But that trust doesn't develop over night or in the instant that you meet. It takes a relationship to form and requires you to really get to know the person. You aren't going to trust them with diddly squat if you don't really know them...so why would it be any different with God? I think the most harmful thing that can happen is when you have faith based on circumstance...the fluctuating faith...when things are going great, you truly believe He is there and that He loves you and is more than enough for you, but when things are going bad, somehow He is not there, He is not sufficient, and He is not able to meet your needs. (And I speak for myself when I get so caught up in my circumstances that I forget who He is.)

It makes me think of when I ride with people. :P It truly requires me to trust them with their driving skills...there are only certain people that I am completely comfortable to ride with. I feel like I can just sit back and let them "take the wheel" (baha, I know I just opened myself up to being able to use a "Jesus Take the Wheel" YouTube video, but I will glady refrain) And even when they do things out of their character, like text or overly speed, lol, or slam on the brakes lots, or swerve, I still have trust in them...probably not the wisest, but I do. But it takes me to really know them and their driving skills to know if I truly trust myself in their care. Like my dad...I probably trust him the most even though he sometimes drives too fast and swerves to show off...yes, I tell him to stop but I still trust him.

I think it's the same way with God. We don't always know what He's doing, because He does something "out of His character" and we don't understand. But like with my dad, I trust Him enough because of getting to know him and "driving" with him long enough to know that he really knows what He's doing.

Kind of a weak parallel, but it works. :D

I'm also thinking about friendship...over the years and now. I've been thinking about the layers and sections that people fall into. The leaves, the branches, and the roots. And I'm thinking how that can change so easily, and how some people are only there for a season...and that's okay.