Knowing God - Galatians 2:20

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I live my life in this earthly body

by trusting in the Son of God,

who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

Earth means messy. While earth is often filled with beauty and wonder, it is also filled with anger, darkness, hatred, wars, grief, greed, pain, and death. 

So, says Paul, how do I manage to live my life on this embattled earth? His answer is simple ... and profound: We live by trusting God.

If we don't trust in God, we have to battle and solve all the pain and grief on our own. If we do trust in God, we have not only the armor of light but love, joy, peace, patience, self-control and all the rest of the fruits the Spirit pours into us.

The problems is that trust is rarely like a light switch -- 100% on or 100% off. It's a dimmer switch. Sometimes I trust more. Sometimes I trust less. Sometimes I battle the hurts of the past and have trouble trusting anyone. 

My temptation as a response -- and I've tried this with a few people -- is "You need to 'just do it.'" Paul is a little more practical. He shows us a proof that may help us trust God more fully. In fact, his final words in this verse are a restatement of the John 3:16 blessing -- He "love[s us] and gave himself for [us]."

In Christ's Love,

a dim bulb

(when I'm on my own)

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Trust. I have talked to pastor often about trust.  And I have received the 'just do it' advice ... and rolled my eyes. I do not wear Nike's. I am stubborn. And it isn't that easy! But as I am learning trust is active.  It is something we have to constantly do.  And we do it all day in thousands of little ways.  Sometimes trusting God is so hard because we don't see him with skin on.  I am so guilty of trying to battle and solve pain and grief on my own ... and it is not working.  I am learning to trust God. To let him handle the pain and grief and fill me with his light and other fruit of the spirit he so freely gives us.