He is Trustworthy. {Rob Schad}

In 2009, at a routine pregnancy check-up in Tuscumbia, AL, our OB nurse practitioner told us she was sending us to a surgeon to check out a lump that she found on my wife. We asked, “When?”. She told us she was sending us right then. It's amazing how God works because the surgeon that she sent us to was a very godly man from our church. After a brief examination, he said, “I think it's cancer”. He prayed with us and encouraged us. After another test in the hospital a few days later, it was confirmed that Deidre had breast cancer. We were totally devastated because she was pregnant with our youngest child, Silas.

The chaos actually brought our family and friends closer together. I remember after talking to the surgeon the first time, we called our pastor and asked if we could come to his house. He said we could. I remember telling our pastor and his wife about our report. They cried and prayed with us. 

Then, as we began telling our family, our friends, and our church, we were so blown away by the love and support we received. One of the things I will never forget is telling our young married class that we were teaching at the time. After telling them our news, they surrounded us and began praying. There were many Sunday mornings where the husbands in the class never said anything, but on this particular day the wives began praying and then the husbands prayed, too. It was a very exciting bonding time for all of us.

During all of this, there were times when God felt close and other times where He felt far away. We could see His hand in things that happened, and yet at times we were asking, “Why?”.

There was a long period especially after Deidre passed away in September of 2016 that I was so mad I couldn't open my Bible or sing at church without crying. I knew I needed God's Word, so that is when I began memorizing a lot of Scripture. To this day, there are songs that come on the radio or that we sing at church, and I start to get choked up. God continues to use His Word and music to heal my broken heart!

I hope that I've grown, but sometimes I'm not sure. I remember a quote from Elizabeth Elliott that says something like this: “When you aren't sure what to do, just do the next thing”. I've learned to keep going and keep trusting God even though I'm not sure what's happening. He is a faithful friend and I can trust Him even on days that I don't feel like trusting Him. There's a good song by the Collingsworth family called ‘Your Ways Are Higher Than Mine’ that I sing many nights. I'm thankful that God has promised that "He who began a work in me will complete it"!

 He is Trustworthy.

We face uncertainties and challenges that leave us feeling overwhelmed and uncertain. But in those moments, let us remember that our God is trustworthy. It is natural for us to seek our own understanding and attempt to control every aspect of our lives, but we must learn to trust in God's divine plan, even when it seems incomprehensible.

Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." This verse is a powerful reminder that we can lean on God's understanding and trust Him, knowing that His plans for us are perfect. When we surrender our desires and plans to Him, we open ourselves to the fulfillment of His greater purpose.

God has proven Himself to be faithful and trustworthy. He guided me through difficult decisions and brought clarity to my path when I sought His counsel through prayer and meditation on His Word.

Isaiah 55:8-9 affirms this truth: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." This verse reassures us that God's ways are beyond our comprehension, but we can trust that they are far superior to our own. Our finite minds may struggle to grasp the full picture, but God sees the entire canvas of our lives and knows what is best for us.

In conclusion, let us affirm with confidence that God is trustworthy, and His ways are higher than ours. When life's circumstances seem overwhelming, may we find solace in His promises and surrender our plans to His perfect will. Remember, dear friends, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path" (Psalm 119:105), and as we walk with God, His light will lead us through every uncertainty.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for your unfailing love and wisdom. Help me trust in your higher ways, even when I cannot see the full picture. Grant me the faith to surrender my desires to your perfect will, knowing that you are trustworthy in all things. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.