Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. Rescue me from my enemies, LORD ; I run to you to hide me. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. For the glory of your name, O LORD, preserve my life. Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress. In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies and destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.” Psalm 143: 8-12 (NLT)

I got an interesting article this week that had this headline:
3 Pivotal Moments Junior High Students Need To Trust God!
Like so many of you, I am drawn to headers that give me “3 steps” or “5 quick ways” or the “4 Things you need to do RIGHT NOW!” So of course, I opened it and rushed to find the answers to those THREE TIMES THAT JUNIOR HIGHERS Need to Trust God THE MOST! Here’s what it said:

  1. When they like or don’t like who they see in the mirror.
  2. When they feel rejected or alone.
  3. When they are making decisions about their future.

As a Minister and a Parent, I wholeheartedly agreed with the article and the 3 Pivot Points that 11-14 year olds NEED to trust God. I re-read the article…I pondered it… I asked myself if I was helping my child or our AMP Students see these 3 times…and then I sat the article down and sighed. It was then I had another moment:

-These three times aren’t just reserved for Tweens and Teens…
ALL OF US need an active trust of God when these times hit us!

Who of us hasn’t been disillusioned at the “man in the mirror”? (I’ll wait here while you raise your hand!) When we see more grey hair and wrinkles than we remember…when that scale uses a number that is larger than what is on our Driver’s License…when we just don’t feel “As young as we used to.” It’s EASY for Grown-Ups to get down on ourselves. We need to trust God!

When we feel rejected by co-workers or family… when it feels like NO ONE else feels like we do…it’s EASY to get down on ourselves. We need to trust God!

Should we move? Should I take that other job? Should we get a bigger house? Should we downsize now that the kids have gone? What happens if this biopsy IS cancer? When life overwhelms us, it’s EASY to get down on ourselves. We need to trust God!

All of these times that face young people…face ALL of us. Our teens NEED to see adults that are REAL and have these struggles too! And they need to see us TURNING TO GOD when we are struggling!

I was overwhelmed by the verse above this week-it just hit me HARD! I need to be reminded EVERY MORNING of God’s UNFAILING LOVE! I need to walk where HE wants me to walk! And I need to let Him bring me out of distress…not because I deserve it or earned it, but because of HIS Consistent and Unfailing Love. We need to trust God!

I urge you to bookmark Psalm 143. Highlight it, re-read it, soak in it…and be reminded that no matter WHAT happens in our country, in our state, with COVID, with school, with doctor’s visits or with your weight…We need to trust God!

Trust Him today…not just a little bit…but with EVERYTHING!

Shalom,
Don