DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT WEDNESDAY - IMPLEMENT AN ATTITUDE OF TRUST!

Unused truth becomes as useless as an unused muscle. - A.W. Tozer.

And he asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven." And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd.

And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. - Mark 8:5-9. ESV

Many Christians I know, are wondering why things are so tough on them, and ask me why God doesn’t meet their needs. There are many reasons why they are asking and not receiving, and I do not intend to list them all, or even try. But I know from my own experience, in my walk with Christ, that in order to receive from the Lord, I had to implement an attitude of trust.

There were many times in my in my early years as a Christian, when I struggled to understand why the Lord didn’t meet my requests, for the things that I needed, and for my family. It was confusing to me as a new Christian, when all around me I saw other Christians having their needs met. So one day I cried out to the Lord, and He said... “John, you have the wrong attitude for trusting me. You must not expect things to happen through other people, or other means, simply trust in me, and implement an attitude of trust, and you will see my hand in your needs.”

When I obeyed what the Lord had told me, and I started to develop that attitude of trusting in Him only for my needs, then things began to change for me and my family. I would love to tell you that every need we had was answered, alas it wasn’t to be, but things did change dramatically for us, and when we were missionaries in Europe for five and a half years, we seen some outstanding miracles of provision, that was to shape my attitude of simply trusting in Him for everything.

Observing some of the above principles from our Scripture was the beginning of the implementation of changing my attitude of trust...

Jesus asks them what they had and they told Him just 7 loaves of bread. His answer... SIT DOWN! There has to be a transfer of faith, from the seven loaves, to the bread of life, Jesus! Just as there must be a transfer of our faith, from our resources, abilities, and human efforts, to the compassionate, almighty divine provision, of our Lord and Saviour, JESUS! There are three principles that must take place, in learning how to implement an attitude of trust...

FAITH! It takes faith to just sit down, when every thing inside of us screams to get a second job, borrow our way out of trouble, etc., In other words “WORKING” it out ourselves. we really need to SIT DOWN at the Master’s feet. We say, “Yeah, but we’re supposed to do what we can, right?" We are to obey what He tells us to do! Sometimes, He requires some effort on our part, and other times, He just says obey what I say.

During an especially trying time in the work of the China Inland Mission, Hudson Taylor wrote to his wife, "We have twenty-five cents--and all the promises of God! - W. Wiersbe.

EXPECTATION! After we sit down by faith, look up and expect something to happen, we don't know when or how it will happen, we just expect that it is going to happen. Why is this so hard to do? Well, we need to push aside our pride, and totally trust in Him to provide an answer, after all, He is ever present, all seeing, and all powerful, and we are neither. Hallelujah! Expect something to happen!

Life is a continuous process of getting used to things we hadn't expected. Source Unknown.

REST! Now, let us take our hands off all our circumstances and situations, and simply rest in Him. Leave it all to Him! Don't wrestle, just rest! Don't worry, just rest! Don't lose sleep over anything, just rest! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? - Luke 12:25.

Sir Wilfred Grenfell, medical missionary in Labrador, found himself adrift on an ice flow, headed out to sea. He mercifully killed his dogs, made a coat out of their hides, put up a distress flag, and lay down and slept. Later he said, "There was nothing to fear. I had done all I could, the rest lay in God's hands." - Donald Campbell.

We must put these 3 things into action… FAITH; EXPECTATION, and REST! This will help us to... IMPLEMENT AN ATTITUDE OF TRUST!

Loving Father, I ask for forgiveness, for the times that I have had a bad attitude towards you, concerning unanswered prayer for my needs. Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to take on board the principles contained in your word, that I may implement an attitude of trust in you. I ask this in the wonderful name of Jesus, amen!

GBYAY