Why Should I Trust God with My Pain? By Rick Warren
“I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.”2 Timothy 1:12 (NLT)
When you’ve got something that’s precious to you, whether it’s rare, expensive, or an heirloom, and you don’t want it to be stolen, broken, or burned up, you might take it to the bank and entrust it to the protection of a safety deposit box.
But whatever you entrust to God is safer than the most secure bank vault. He will take care of it—you can count on it. He has a perfect track record. Other people may not have a consistent track record of taking care of things for you. But whatever you entrust to God, he will take care of.
So what do you need to entrust to God today? I’ll tell you what it is—it’s whatever you’re worrying about. Whatever’s keeping you up at night, you need to entrust it to the safety deposit box of God’s love.
Worry is practical atheism because it’s acting like you don’t have a Father in heaven who loves you and who can be trusted; it’s like you’re a spiritual orphan. Worry is unbelief; it’s saying you don’t believe the thousands of promises God made in the Bible.
For most people, it’s not easy to place things in God’s safety deposit box when they’re in pain. It’s hard to trust anyone when you’re suffering, even God. You just want to pull back and hold on to it yourself.
Paul knew this, but he also knew that when you’re in pain, that’s when you need to trust God the most. He said, “I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return” (2 Timothy 1:12 NLT).
I talk to people sometimes who say, “I’m not sure I want to give my life to JesusChrist because I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep the commitment.”
Let me be honest with you: You can’t keep your commitment. You will mess up! Thankfully, your salvation doesn’t depend on your ability to keep the commitment. It’s based on Christ keeping his promise and taking care of what you’ve committed to him.
Talk It Over What does worry do to your life? Why do you think it’s sometimes easier to hold onto your pain than release it to God? What do you need to entrust to God today?
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In God’s Answers to Life’s Difficult Questions, Pastor Rick Warren takes you to the Bible to find practical, life-changing guidance for some of life’s biggest struggles.
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