Been two weeks because we had to postpone last week.

So you're right.

Welcome back.

I apologize for that.

And just as a recap, in our last episode, we talked about what it feels like when life seems to be falling apart.

Obviously, the whole season revolves around the theme of anxiety.

And we talked again last two weeks ago.

About what?

About when God seems silent or when he seems distant.

Matter of fact, we looked at Elijah's story in 1 Kings 19, and he talked about God's promise in Hebrews 13:5.

And just some of these stories where the people in the Bible seemed like, at least from their perspective at the time, that God was silent.

But he wasn't.

That's why I loved we talked about Hebrews 13:5 last week.

And it's just a good reminder that God says, never leave us, never forsake us, that he's always there.

And so today we're going to focus on something a little bit different as we actually just kind of the logical next step, I guess, if you will.

And that is what does trust look like in the middle of anxiety, in the middle of what we're going through, the trial that we're going through, what does trust look like?

I mean, it's easy to say just trust God, but what does that look like?

What does that mean to me?

How can I do that when I feel like my world's falling apart?

And so often hear Christians say, if I believe God is here with me, then.

And I know that in my head I know he's here, but I just don't feel it.

And what do I do?

How do I trust him when I feel like everything's falling apart?

So what does trusting actually look like?

So we are going to look at, in today's episode, Practical Faith.

What are some steps we can take?

What are things we can do even when we don't feel like it?

How do we walk it out when we feel anxious or we feel overwhelmed or we feel afraid?

And then we are also going to talk about learning that trust, or how at least trust becomes more than just a belief.

It becomes really just a way of living how we walk each day.

And so we'll look at that.

You know, we're not just talking about.

And again, I don't hear me when I say this.

We're not just talking about quoting Bible verses.

The Bible is central.

It's critical in our relationship with the Lord because that's how he speaks to us.

That's his living word.

But we want to explore what it looks like to actively trust God in our daily decisions, you know, in our emotions and our struggles, and especially when nothing around us feels stable.

You know, we brought up that quote, I think it was last week, when we feel like our prayers are just bouncing off the ceiling.

So what does it look like to actively trust God?

Because he's not changing.

He's consistent, he's there.

But we live in this world of chaos.

And so I guess let's start it off then with you.

Can you tell us a little bit about what does trust God mean?

Is it just.

Is it a feeling that we need to be waiting for?

Or what does that look like?

You know, in a lot of ways, for people, it is about their feelings.

I mean, you talk to people and they talk about, you know, feeling comforted or feeling hopeful or feeling confident and don't really look at maybe the deeper, you know, issues that have to do with our trust.

And really, we think about trust, you know, in the Bible, that it involves, you know, commitment, it involves reliance upon God and especially as you're saying that, you know, obedience to God and what he calls us to do.

So, you know, thinking of it biblically, it means to, you know, we think about faith, it means to act upon.

It means to trust in.

It means to rely upon.

So we see in Scripture, it's volitional.

It's an action.

And it obviously impacts our feelings and anxiety being one of them, which is a natural byproduct of just being human.

But Scripture really takes us into doing something about our faith and especially when we were talking about the issues of anxiety, that we just don't become driven or overrun by our anxiety.

And people say, well, I can't do it because I'm scared.

And that becomes our feelings, then become the thing that we're actually looking to instead of the Lord and His Word for direction as to the things that he's calling us to.

Yeah, for sure.

So I think in just to recap what you said, I think it's very clear that not only do we see scripturally, but to make the statement that trust is more than how I feel.

And like you said that sometimes we tie it in.

Well, I just don't feel like it.

I'll trust things that I feel like I can trust.

And that's such a dangerous thing because our feelings are so.

Well, they really.

They can fool us.

Well, yeah, because it's true.

Biblical trust, it's a choice, obviously, but it's a deliberate act on our part.

It means that we truly were going to rely upon God and His character, who he is, and the promises, like you said, coming back to the Word and what did God say?

And then regardless of how I think or even what I feel to go, I'm going to trust God, I'm not going to trust myself.

You gave a verse, we look at Proverbs 3, 5 and 6, and we keep going back to that because it deals with an intentional reliance upon the Lord instead of just an emotional kind of sentiment that we feel.

And it says, trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not depend on your own understanding.

You know, so there's where that comes in.

But seek his will in all that you do, and he will show you.

And then this is action, right?

Which path to take.

Amen.

So, so then if we talk about trust being more than a feeling when we say it's an action, it's obedience, I think oftentimes it helps to see it then in the real lives of people either we know or people in the Bible.

And so just.

Just a couple of things with some stories in the Bible, it gives us a powerful example of people who trusted God in real and also uncertain.

And even by many, it wouldn't be a stretch of the imagination to say a very scary situation.

I think of Abraham in Genesis 12.

He's just kind of hanging out, doing his thing, and God comes to him and says, hey, leave your country, leave your relatives, leave your father's family.

Go to a land where I'll show you.

And.

And I mean, we have Hindsight being obviously 20, 20, we know where that leads.

But to him at the time, he had to just trust.

And so he didn't have necessarily at the time, a map, no timeline, no necessarily guarantee of safety.

It was just a promise and a call to trust.

And he did.

And obviously we see how that works out.

But it's easy, I think, to read these stories and think, oh, yeah, no, that's going to work out great.

That's how Israel starts.

But we forget the fact that from Abraham's perspective at the time, he didn't know all of that.

He didn't see all that.

He had to trust.

We think of Mary's story, which you were talking about, just from Mary's perspective.

That it was just Mother's Day.

Mother's Day, yeah.

This is a young girl and we think of, in our perspective, okay, you're going to get married.

So we think she's in her 20s, 30s, she was a young girl.

Right now she's being told she's going to carry the Messiah.

And you Know, I think in my own life, if I'm reflecting on this story, well, me and my wife, yeah, we're married now, but, you know, our first child was before marriage.

And so what did I do?

Well, I just went to work.

But from Mary's 2,000 years ago, it wasn't just getting pregnant outside of marriage.

I mean, this was a big deal.

You know, she could have been killed for it and cast out.

So she's faced with this uncertain situation, hey, you're going to be pregnant.

You know, supernaturally, you're going to carry the Messiah.

And so her whole world is about to be turned upside down, not just socially, but relationally and physically.

And so I love how she responds in that because again, we see how the story ends.

But this was new to her when the Lord just came to her and told her.

And so her response is, let the Lord's will be done.

I'm the Lord's servant.

Just that complete trust, even though she didn't have all the answers at the time, but it's because she believed in the one who gave the calling.

And, and so those are just two stories that, that encourage me both in Abraham and Mary, that, you know, that trust isn't.

Wasn't just about feeling brave for them, it wasn't just a feeling, but it was in trust.

You know, it was trust in something greater than who they were.

You know, it was about being willing.

So I think of just another one, especially with.

In light of dealing with this topic of anxiety, I would think of like King David in Psalm 23, you know, where he says, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I.

I'll fear no evil, for you're with me.

And so the feelings obviously, you know, were present, but he made a willful decision to continue to trust, you know, and to look to God.

And, and so when you think of real life examples, you know, from Scripture, I mean, there, there's a.

That one always to me stands out because it's obvious.

It's in the.

In all of our lives.

It's the most fearful thing because we're facing death, death itself.

And all of a sudden he's going, but I'm just going to keep walking.

I'm going to keep trusting in God.

And I love the way that you just put it to it.

It's put in scripture is it's not walking around it, it's not skipping over it, but it's actively walking through the valley.

And it didn't change his trust.

So then going on to the Next part here.

What does trust look like?

And we'll touch more on this in a little bit too.

But from your, from what you see in your time in ministry and what, biblically, what does trust look like when we're, When I'm anxious?

When you're anxious, what does that look.

Like physically kind of backing up for just a second.

The whole thing about ministry for us as pastors is helping people to grow in their faith.

Right?

And so when you think about anxiety and then faith, 2 Corinthians 5, 7 always comes to mind.

For we walk by faith and not by sight.

Or in the NLT translation, which I teach out of on Sundays, is for we live by believing and not by seeing.

And so our, our trust is rooted in knowing who God is.

And that's what we spend our time teaching people, is helping them understand who God is.

And the only way you're going to understand who God is is in the person of Jesus Christ, because Jesus is the visible representation of God.

And so we keep bringing people back to a personal relationship with the Lord.

And as they grow in the knowledge of who Jesus is, their.

Their faith obviously is going to grow, it's going to increase.

And so when you think about the question that kind of begs to be asked here is what do we do?

How do we trust God?

And how do we.

The question lean into God?

Jesus said in John 14:15, he said, if you love me, you'll keep my commandments.

You'll.

You'll obey me.

Yeah.

James, the half brother of Jesus, James 2, he says, faith without works, without obedience.

Right?

Is dead.

So genuine faith produces actions in our life.

In First John 5, 3 says, for this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.

And so obedience is, is always a test of, of the proof of, of authentic faith.

And so what does it, what does it look like in our lives?

It's pretty safe to say it means turning to God, trusting God.

You know, we use those words again, act upon, rely upon, believe.

Those are all volitional things that bring us into a deeper relationship with God.

And then as we do that, we find that God is faithful to all of his promises.

Yeah.

Amen.

Absolutely.

So we then moving on from that to the person who's maybe in the middle of anxiety today.

Again, it's not something that you're not alone.

You're not the only one.

It's something that impacts all of us.

This part of living in a broken world, and it's part of what makes our relationship with God so beautiful is that he is our hope and it's outside of this world, but in the middle of anxiety and fear, what are some things that we can do?

And honestly, it's important to remember that sometimes trusting God isn't some grand heroic act, just that small, quiet decisions, maybe that feel even really hard in the moment, maybe praying when I don't feel like it.

Not because you feel spiritual, but because you know you need God.

I was talking to youth, somebody from Youth last night and just saying, hey, you know what?

Have you been reading?

Read this week?

Okay, well, what about last week?

What have you been studying?

I didn't do anything.

They said, well, what do you think is stopping you from opening the Bible and reading?

And they thought about it for a minute and they said, to be honest with you, I just don't feel like it.

And I'm like, man, that's the perfect time more than anything to open it up and go before God in prayer and read anyways.

Because honestly, there's times we're not going to feel like it because we're imperfect people and we struggle with a whole range of emotions.

And also going on from that, it looks like maybe choosing gratitude over.

I love this statement here, is choosing gratitude over spiraling thoughts.

And that just the spiraling thoughts really connected to me because of how easy anxiety can build on itself or depression can build on itself, where it just feels like you're in a tornado of spiraling thoughts and refusing to let anxiety write the story in your mind, instead focusing on our gratitude towards God.

And I remember a time in my life, especially earlier, when I was really struggling with anxiety.

And man, there was something so amazing about being able to break from that cycle and just start thinking, physically thinking in my mind on things that I was just grateful for to the Lord and how that just kind of pierced into that darkness.

Also, it looks like staying in community, not self, isolating when everything in me wants to isolate, but letting people in and being in church, being in fellowship, being in.

In the Word and in worship and in prayer.

I'm reminded of Philippians 4, 6, 7, which says, don't worry about anything.

Instead, pray about everything.

Tell God what you need and thank him for all he's done.

Then you will experience a peace of God, a peace that surpasses all understanding.

And really, that's a peace only God can give.

The world can't give it.

There's nothing we can chase that will give it, apart from our Creator, to trust His.

It's a posture, right?

It's.

It's an action.

It's something that we just have to do intentionally, even when we don't feel like it.

Yeah.

I think going back to what Jesus says about it, that's who we're always looking to.

Yeah.

Ultimately, he encourages us with regard to anxiety, is to not worry about yesterday.

Right.

Don't.

Don't worry about tomorrow and just focus on today.

And Matthew chapter six.

And you can look that up for yourselves if you're listening later on, versus 2534 there.

But he just talks about how he cares for even the birds.

He said they don't have to worry about anything.

And he says, and you're more valuable than the birds of the air.

And so what should we do?

And he says to cast our cares, like you said, to cast our cares upon him and not worry about how our needs are going to be met and knowing that God loves us and that God provides for us.

And so we take care of our anxieties, like you said, which is a part of everyday life and the heart of every person.

And as you mentioned there in Philippians 4, then don't worry about it.

You're gonna feel it.

But instead, that's the thing, is do something with it.

It's.

There's an action, pray about it.

Just take those things to God.

And like you said, living in community.

Go.

The greatest community we have is with God.

I mean, the church is a byproduct of that.

But then just having communion with the Lord himself, sitting with him and.

And talking to him.

And like, you'll bring this up at the end of some.

We'll probably get into this next week even.

Of talking about.

Talking out loud.

Talking to God.

Yes.

And.

And having conversation.

He's a person that's.

I think sometimes we forget that God is.

He's a real person.

And so like you said, it's not the big things necessarily.

I think it's worth noting there.

Again, you know, sometimes we think that it's always the big things that we do, but it's all the little steps.

Like you said, it could be going to church.

It could be reaching out to a friend or a pastor or a counselor to talk to and to talk about the issues.

One of the best ways is to just get our eyes off of ourself.

And that's again, being involved in a local church, serving people, working to meet the needs of other people.

All of a sudden I go, where'd my problem go?

It's like.

Or it puts in perspective, like, well.

I thought it was bad for me.

Exactly.

I'M I'm.

Oh, woe is me.

Yeah.

So.

So we have to understand this trust.

It does allow for feelings.

It's not like we're emotionless or feelingless here.

But it refuses, and I think this is the key, it refuses to be led or controlled by them, that we're going to be controlled by the spirit of God who lives within us.

And we're going to.

We're going to have to then learn how to submit to that.

And, and I always think one of the best things when I.

I think about what, what goes on within this.

We learned that our anxiety and this is the positive side.

People, is there any positive thing about anxiety?

And you go, yeah, absolutely.

I mean, to me there is, because it becomes a pathway in our lives for a deeper trust and reliance upon God.

I think of the apostle Paul there in Second Corinthians 12.

And he says, Three times I begged the Lord to take this thing away from me.

And he says, and each time the Lord said, my grace is all you need.

My power works best in weakness.

And I think most people that deal with anxiety see it as a weakness in their life.

But look at this.

He goes, so now I'm glad to boast in my weakness.

So maybe put the word anxiety there.

So now I'm.

I'm glad to boast in my anxiety so that the power of Christ can work through me.

That's why I take pleasure in my word, says weakness.

I'm going to put the word anxiety again.

Take pleasure in my anxiety and in the insults, the hardships, the persecutions and troubles that I suffer for Christ, for when I'm weak, I'm strong, you know?

And so my hope is that in all this, us bringing this topic up is that your anxiety doesn't lead you away from God, but it actually leads you to God.

And if you see it that way, then you go, wow.

Yeah, I can't stop this, but I can sure change the direction I go when it comes to my.

Into my life.

Yeah, Amen.

And I love how you brought up Matthew 6:34 about Jesus saying, don't worry about tomorrow.

Because if you read that verse all the way through, he says, therefore, don't worry about tomorrow.

And what he doesn't say after that is, for tomorrow you may have some things to worry about.

He says, tomorrow's gonna.

There's enough worry for tomorrow.

It's not going away, but we'll always find things to worry about.

But that's why it's so important, like you were saying, is just the little things each and every day.

And then as you grow with your walk in the Lord, you learn to just trust in him more.

It's something you have to develop and have it because he is faithful and he is unchanging.

So let me ask you this, I want to take a minute.

This next little part.

We have obstacles to trust.

And I wanted to ask you what are some common things that you've heard over just the last 40 years as you counsel with people, as you talk with people that.

Thanks a lot.

40 years.

Oh my God.

I'm happy to say that because I can't say it so I'm quite a bit younger.

But what are some common obstacles people have to being able to trust God?

Because again, we understand it doesn't change who he is.

But what are some excuses we use as to why I can't or why I struggle trusting?

Yeah, the biggest, and it's a great question.

The biggest obstacle to trust for all of us is doubt.

I always think of James one says when you, when you ask of God, be sure that your faith is in God alone for do not waver.

It says for a person who has divided loyalty is unsettled as a wave of the sea and is blown and tossed by the wind.

Number one, when the hit parade is it's doubt, doubting God.

But other things that, that are obstacles to, to us trusting that just through the years, like you said, just meeting with people and just trying to think this through is like feelings of worthlessness.

People just feel like who am I?

I mean, why would God help me or do anything?

So they just continue in this path of, of anxiousness, guilt, just constant guilt, never really coming to understand the, the forgiveness of God in their life.

Pride was another one just I'm going to do it myself.

I'm going to fix it myself.

And not looking to God, which ourselves is ourselves as an answer in and of itself.

I get my own way.

That I get my own way more than other people get in my way.

And then again just comes back to.

You mentioned it earlier, like the need for church and being involved with other people because the opposite of that is independence.

We don't want to be in relationship with other people.

I don't want other people to crowd my space.

I'm comfortable within myself.

And so if I involve with other people, that creates anxiety because I'm not in control.

Which is another big one.

If I was going to say doubt, then control.

I want to be in control.

And maybe the, the last one would be like self pity.

People just get in.

Woe is me.

We see it so much in our culture today.

There's this whole culture of victimization, right?

We just self pity people just, it's all about me.

And unfortunately when I do that, that becomes my focus as me.

Like I said, it's a small package of I'm all wrapped up in myself.

Those are just, I think of a few just right off the top.

And I think alongside that, next week we're going to be talking about the lies that we believe.

And so that kind of fits right into what lies lead us to believe.

These obstacles, they kind of go hand in hand.

And so just a couple of reminders, I think this is a good place to wrap as we'll transition into next week.

One of the most important things that we're going to do though, as we learn to trust in God is we have to know who he is.

And we're not going to know who he is apart from being in His Word and from reading about Him.

And that's where we do it.

We do it in His Word.

So if you're listening today and you're like the youth I was talking about a little bit ago, or you're in that place where you just don't have any personal time reading, I really encourage you to open your Bible, to get in, to start reading.

Just start really.

I mean, sometimes the hardest thing to do is just to pick it up and to start.

But start reading because you know you're going to be like hitting your head against the wall trying to get to know God apart from His Word, because that's where we learn about Him.

Amen.

And so, but anyway, so let's.

I think that wraps it up for today.

Is there anything else you wanted to add to this episode or this part of the story as we carry out season three?

I think just a couple verses just to leave everybody with, you know, it's understanding, growing in your knowledge of who Jesus is and just being reminded.

Hebrews 13:8 says, you know, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Talk about, you know, helping with anxiety.

It's just knowing that God never changes.

So, you know, there is that constant and that that's a great thing.

You know, Psalm 77, 11:12 says, but then I recall all you have done, O Lord, I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.

And, and I think that's important of just getting in the Word and just being, reminding yourself of how faithful God is.

And then just to, to meditate on God's Word, delight in it.

Like you said day and night.

Psalm 1, 2 and 3.

Study biblical examples, people that did good and people that didn't do good and learn from, you know, the things that they did and ultimately just be encouraged and understand that.

And I think the last verse that comes to mind that I really think of here is Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 31.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.

They will soar high on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and they'll not faint and just trust God.

Sit with God.

You're feeling anxious today.

Stop what you're doing, put everything down, wait on the Lord and believe in faith.

As you wait on the Lord and you sit before him, he will renew your strength.

And then lastly, I guess there's something else just comes to mind.

I always think of that as Romans.

I always love going to Romans.

Romans 8, 28.

We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose.

And so if anxiety is one of those things that got your attention today, just let God use that anxiety to bring you to him and know that he's using it in your life not to harm you, but ultimately for your good.

Because if it's causing you to look to God and to run to God and trust to God, is it really a bad thing?

Oh, amen.

Amen.

Thanks again for joining us today.

We hope that this episode helped you see like trusting God isn't about pretending everything's fine.

It's not putting on a brave face, but it's about taking one faithful step at a time, even when life feels uncertain.

So next week we're going to be looking at just kind of a follow up conversation to this in episode four and we titled that the Lies We Believe.

We're going to look at some of the distorted thoughts.

I think that fuel anxiety a lot of the times things like I'm alone, the feeling of I'm alone, or I'll never be okay, or God doesn't care.

The truth is that a lot of our anxieties are rooted in these lies.

And if we want freedom from that, then we have to replace those lies with the truth of God's word.

And so Romans 12:2 reminds us, Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

And so how do I know how to think apart from God telling me in His Word?

And so we'll start there.

That's what next week's all about, renewing our minds, leaning into and confronting the lies that steal our peace, the lies that we believe.

And really it goes hand in hand a lot of times with addiction to is a lot of the same lies.

Yeah.

So until then, remember, you're not alone.

Keep leaning in, keep trusting God, and we'll see you next time on Real life.

Thank you for joining us for this episode of Real Life.

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