Friday, July 23, 2010

Lean

Have you ever come across a recurring theme during a particular season of life? I believe God speaks through many avenues and when there’s a message I feel is reinforced every which way I turn I can’t deny that the Lord is speaking something special and timely.
Amy Carmichael, beloved missionary to India has penned many words of wisdom from her experiences of trial, heartache and infirmity. As I dove into one of her books recently I was captivated by an excerpt she wrote concerning trusting the Lord. Simply put, to trust means to lean- But not just lean on, but to place the weight of my confidence upon (Young’s Analytical Concordance).
Have you ever heard of a trust fall? Oh, the thought of it sends butterflies shooting up the walls of my stomach. I had heard of a trust fall but realized in the Fall of 2006 hearing of it was completely different than experiencing it. While at a boot camp I climbed onto a platform nailed to the trunk of a tree about 4 feet off the ground. Facing the tree trunk I then proceeded to inch my way backward to the very edge of the platform, cross my arms over my chest, breathe deep and close my eyes.
I couldn’t see what was behind me but I knew I had a team of strong young people with locked arms ready to catch me. I saw several people do the trust fall before me and yet I still had this streak of fear inside- “What if they happen to miss me? What if I’m too heavy and I break their arms?!” There was no way to be 100% positive those fears wouldn’t happen. But it was then in the midst of questions, concerns and the quadrupling of my heart rate that I knew I had no other choice but to lean back as far as possible, allow my feet to lift off the platform and fall. A lean of no reserve which would result in a fall, to what seemed my death but turned out to be a firm, secure grasp.
Oh, the sigh of relief that occurred. I wish to never do the trust fall again in a physical sense but how funny that in life we have to brave a trust fall oftentimes more than once! The blessing is that we can place our trust in the One who is strongest! The One who is so big that we actually fit in the palm of His hand- how could He possibly miss us? How could we ever break His arms of strength?
Today I came across a tweet from the lovely @bobbiehouston. She tweeted the very thing that has been dear to my heart recently: “Trust: to lean on, rely on, have confidence in ... & usually discovered in all it's wonder in the tough times! #trust”.
Why is it we learn to trust “in the tough times”? I believe it’s because then we realize there is nothing we can do in and of ourselves- we have no other option but holy surrender and a complete letting-go of our abilities and a fastening to God and His ability. We’re mere humans who wither to dust, whose lives are but vapors- may we never forget that. May we continuously lean into our omniscient, omnipresent God so much that our opinions, agendas and fears must bow.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Whether you’re in the thick of uncertainty or in the process of taking another sure-footed step toward your future, know that the Lord can be trusted. He can be leaned upon. Like John rested on Jesus, may we find our rest in the Lord as we lean back and let go. Trust.

2 comments:

  1. Good word, Natalie! In reading this I am reminded that the root of every worry, every fear I have can be traced back to an unwillingness to trust utterly everything to my God. I'm determined to keep striving to lean on Him completely even though it may (will) cost me something. My "opinions, agendas, fears MUST bow."

    Thanks for the reminder. The Lord has given you so much to say, Natalie, and I'm glad for this new forum in which to share it.

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