Trust
Without Borders
By Karen D’Amore
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…”
Proverbs 3:5a (NIV)
The song was playing on the radio on
my drive to church, and by the end of Sunday morning worship, we were singing
the same song. Scribbling the lyrics on a church bulletin…I found the
penetrating words replayed in my mind for days:
“Spirit
lead me…where my trust is without borders
Let
me walk upon the waters
Wherever
You would call me
Take
me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And
my faith would be made stronger
In
the presence of my Savior” [1, emphasis added]
“Trust”…such a small, but powerful
word. Dictionary.com defines trust as “reliance on
the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc. of a person or thing;
confidence; a person on whom or thing on which one relies.”
Trust…in and of itself…is difficult
enough, but “trust without borders” is a concept I sometimes struggle to
embrace. As a believer for many years, my trust in the Lord has been an ongoing
growth process. Using obstacles and adversity to drive my faith-roots deeper
into Him, God’s faithfulness in every (even confusing) aspect of my life has
reinforced my ability to trust Him. Hindsight reveals that He has never forsaken me!
But, in spite of God’s unwavering
faithfulness, new obstacles tend to stir up doubt, drawing me to place borders
on my trust. Currently, as I am immersed in confusing circumstances and
injustices that stretch me beyond my comfort zone, I find myself questioning
God. When His methods of resolution and timeliness differ from mine…my trust
sometimes wanes.
Our key verse exhorts us to “lean
not on our own understanding.” As I meditate on this Scripture, I’m learning
that trust means walking in
obedience…in blind faith! Trust rests in God’s perfect plan, regardless of how
confusing or uncomfortable that process may be. Trust accepts God’s ways even
when it conflicts with ours. Trust abandons pre-conceived time limits and waits
patiently on God’s timing. Trust believes in God’s faithfulness even when
circumstances appear hopeless.
My faith journey has resembled a strenuous
hike through deep valleys, around blind curves and over rugged terrain. Each,
though, has been a necessary element to build my faith muscles and deepen my
ability to trust in God. Seeing God’s faithfulness in the obstacles along that
rugged path serves to develop and strengthen the parameters of my trust.
Recognizing that God’s ways were/are always
better than mine helps diminish my doubts.
As my faith journey continues, I
yearn for “trust without borders.” I
pray my feet will obediently wander…where my faith will be made stronger…in the
presence of my Savior!
GOING
DEEPER:
- What’s hindering your ability to fully trust
God?
FURTHER
READING:
Married to Dan,
Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns
Salon and a Foot Care Specialist at Shorehaven Senior Facility. She also serves on the Oakwood Women’s
Ministry Special Events team.
