Without Seeing, Without Knowing

When I was 23, God opened a Google map for me and told me to move to a seemingly remote town I had never heard of in a state I had never even been to, and to buy a house and plant myself and my family (husband) in that place. He did not tell me why, or how, or anything, really. So, we packed up our apartment in D.C.: our stuff, selves, and three perturbed cats and rolled on down to our new home. It would be super great if I could tell you God was immediately evident, had set up jobs and a home for us to establish, etc. I cannot, however, as none of these things were the case. We were homeless, living in our car with lots of our stuff and our three, angry felines. For three months we were uncertain about where we were sleeping, what we were eating, where our cats were urinating, and the like. My flesh wants to tell you it was awful. It was not - it was amazing! Sure it was difficult, but the blessings we witnessed and became a part of, and the seeds that were sown, into our lives and others, were just incredible. I want to tell you that this was evidence that I trusted God. The truth I learned this week (five years after our adventure): this was evidence of my faith in God, but it was a far journey from proof of my trust in him. God has been showing me the difference between faith and trust. Hebrews 11:1 says "Now faith is the assurance of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]." In other words, faith is believing without seeing. It is built through an understanding of who God is and proof he has already given you that he is your shield, your strength, your comforter, and your friend. Faith is knowing you won't sink when God tells you to get out of the boat. Trust, on the other hand, knows no such thing. Trust means giving up control, surrendering, being willing to step out of the boat whether you will sink or not. Trust means giving your life to God completely and allowing him to use it to accomplish his goals, not your own. Faith is believing without seeing. Trust is going without knowing. When we embarked on our journey, we stepped out in faith, knowing that God would not have told us to go if he didn't have a way for it to work. Trust is something I am learning now, which is requiring me to offer my life to God as a sacrifice regardless of the circumstance I am in, not knowing whether it will end "well" for me. Trust is for God's purposes, not mine. Phillipians 4:11-13 "...I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am. I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want: I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency]." Faith is prerequisite for trust, and trust is the foundation of faith. God will build our faith by proving his love and strength to us. Trust is our response to that faith where we lay our lives before God and say, "Do what you will." The best news is: because our Daddy loves us, he will reward our faith and honor the trust we place in him. Daddy, Thank you for your might and awesome power. Thank you that you have numbered the hairs on our head and have set your banner of love over us. Help us to have faith to believe in your promises. Most of all, give us the strength through which we may present our lives to you as offerings to your will and may we be content through all circumstances we may face, knowing that we are a part of your plan. Help us to trust in you. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen