Day 13

How do you react in a crisis? Or, to ask an even more revealing question, how do you react in the minor irritations of everyday life? The answer is not a matter of what you say you believe. It's a matter of your familiarity, even intimacy, with your Father. As much as we say that He is trustworthy and true, our tower of strength and our shield, those are only words until they are tested. And in this world, they are tested often.

have you ever known Christians who believe the right things about God but who panic at every difficulty? It's hard to believe that someone's belief in the sovereignty and faithfulness of God are more than skin deep when his panic sets in. The truth of our relationship with God comes out when the heat is on. We discover whether we really trust Him or not when we're put in a position of having to trust Him. A belief in God's providence mean little until one lacks essentials, and a belief in God's strength means little until one is completely helpless. Then the truth comes out.

Those who have not put their trust in the Refuge, who ignore Him and go their own way, are wicked, according to the Bible. That may seem harsh, but that's the true assessment of the human rebellion. And those who do not really trust Him will be brought down by every calamity. Those who do trust Him can't be brought down by anything--even death.

So where do you stand? Do you have a shallow belief in God's faithfulness, applying His promises to others' situations but not to your own? We are called to live in a different dimension than we once lived in. We must know who our Fortress is. We are not to become strong; we are to find our strength in Him. We must let His peace speak louder to us than our trials do. God stands firm when everything else moves. Can you?

This is the devotion from Chris Tiegreen, titled Unshakeable. As Melissa and I read his writings this morning, we were reminded of the importance of staying close to the heart of God in order to successfully follow Him and stay strong during this season. We are facing many large decisions that require us to seek the Lord regularly to renew our faith. We are actively seeking Him as individuals and as a married couple in hopes to see our trust in God and His promises to sink into the core of our being and not just on a surface level.

I think the funniest thing about being unsure about tomorrow and wanting some sense of direction is that there truly is not one of us who have any idea of what tomorrow will hold. If your world has began crumbling then take a moment to ask the Lord to plant his faith deep inside your heart and not just on the outside where others can see.