The Principle of Faith Rest - One of Those Days

Ever have one of those days where you had your day planned and were raring to go, only to be derailed by something urgent? That’s how my week went. Frustration rose because I couldn’t do what I wanted to do and that was write. Well, I did get to write my blog, so that’s something, but I didn’t get to jump back into my novel.

I just returned from the Northwest Christian Writer’s Conferenc excited to jump back in. With its original deadline of April 1, I still hear my husband chuckling and me defending…No, really. It will be done!

None the less, here I am derailed by the urgent. The urgent involved one birth certificate, and one social security card. You’re probably feeling my pain already. As I left the house that day, birth certificate and social security card secure in a gallon size baggy on its way to its destination, only to discover once I reached the destination, the social security card was not in the baggy. It had to be there. I remember putting it in the baggy. But no matter how many times I looked, it was gone. So, I began my search with thoughts of even more urgency knowing this meant going to the Social Security office to get a new one. “Please, God…No!”

Besides being derailed by an unexpected urgency, have you ever lost something that you know should be where you put it? Have you ever spent the day looking in all the wrong places? That was my day. The urgent and the lost. I retraced my steps and even drove back to the Costco parking lot, got on my hands and knees and looked under cars where my car had been parked. Really, I would do anything to keep from calling, let alone going to the Social Security office.

I dug through trash, my car, my purse over and over, then it occurred to me. I may not know where that card is, but I know the one who does. So, I prayed. I told God He knew exactly where the card was, and would He show me? Another search came up empty. I then remembered the principle of Faith Rest.

Faith Rest is where you leave everything in God’s hands. Faith Rest is knowing that if God allowed something to go against our plan, He had a reason. Maybe He wanted to teach me to be more responsible. But I was responsible, hence the plastic zip lock bag. Maybe God wanted a delay for some divine purpose. Faith Rest is believing God never leaves us or forsakes us, and if He doesn’t answer our prayer the way we want, then we need to rest in our faith and trust God’s will. That’s what I did.

I let go of the negative thoughts that I’m irresponsible, forgetful, getting too old to multi-task (that must be it). I let go and told the Lord that if He wanted me to find it, I would. I also told Him that I trusted He had good reason, and I would accept the loss and let go of the stress of calling and visiting the Social Security office. I would just do it.

When we use Faith Rest during times of trials, we can free ourselves from worry as we rest on God’s promises. But of course, we have to know God’s promises in order to rest in them. You know what I’m going to say next, right? Only through daily study of God’s Word will we know God’s promises and principles. We can then apply them to any circumstance and trust God, even if it makes no sense.

The following morning, I gave the card no thought. I went outside to water the garden, and there by the courtyard gate lay the infamous card. I grabbed it like a lottery ticket and ran inside to show my husband. I was grateful and praised God for letting me find it, wondering how on earth it got there. Then I had a fleeting thought…why didn’t God turn my head to see the card the day before when I walked past it umpteen times? Ah, yes, to practice Faith Rest. And in doing so, I had an opportunity to glorify God, who gave me the perfect example of Faith Rest to share with you! Lesson: Remembering to use Faith Rest was God’s reminder of what is most important - resting in His promises and trusting His plan.

I hope you remember this principle when life gets in the way of what you want. God’s promises and principles are perfect, because God is perfect, and His plan is perfect. If things aren’t going the way we want, it just means God has a different plan for a divine purpose. We only need to trust God. Trusting God’s will, no matter how small or insignificant will bring us peace when things get tough.

God bless and Faith Rest!