Tag: Trust

Quotes to Live By…

I love a good written word, paragraph, sentence, or phrase. They move me and give words to emotions that are difficult for me to describe. So I’ve included here one of my favorite quotes or prayers. I have prayed it often throughout my life. Let me know what you think of it. But also let me know what quotes have moved or changed you?

And who knows maybe I’ll post quotes to live by more often!

My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that, if I do this, You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone.
-Thomas Merton
by Andrew Mills

Failing Confidence…Finding God…

Yesterday when is spoke I didn’t feel confident. I didn’t feel I did well, that I let myself down. To be honest I don’t know why.  I prepared, prayed, and did my best. I know that others when they preach have sometimes a similar reaction afterwards. Knowing all of that should be enough. But it doesn’t feel like enough…

That’s the hard thing with confidence. Sometimes things don’t feel right. You don’t feel confident, you feel like someone else could have done better, or you feel just off.

But isn’t that the problem? Confidence shouldn’t be based on my feelings, my abilities, my perceptions, or me at all. It should be based on God. But what does that really mean?

Well maybe it’s this simple. That when God decides to use us, we simply trust in his decision. We may not feel like we did the best. We may feel like we could have done better. But I think our feelings lead us astray. Our feelings often focus us on ourselves, doubts, and self-perceptions. They focus us…on us…rather than on God who wants to use us.

So maybe being confident is actually very simple. Simply trusting in the God who wants to use you. The God who wants to use our imperfect, unsure, and limited but desiring selves.

God chooses to use you…as you are…knowing who you are.

So maybe then today just rest in that. That God, knowing your limitations, is still wanting and choosing you. He trusts you.  And if he trusts us, shouldn’t we trust ourselves? Shouldn’t we trust in his choice, and leave the rest up to him? That’s what I’m going to do on Sunday. Just trust in him, and leave it up to him.

Maybe take some time today and simply decide to trust in God, and see where that takes you.

My guess is that it will take you quite far…

by Andrew Mills