When our boys, Isaac being 4 years old and Levi being 5 months old, we would load them in a vehicle and head to our destination. Sometimes the trips were calm. Many times though Levi would be screaming and crying the whole way. One particular time, on the way to church, Levi was beside himself screaming and crying. Isaac was sitting beside him and was just calmly saying, “Levi it’s okay, it’s okay Levi, calm down buddy, it’s okay.” Levi would continue to scream until we got to where we were going and we were able to hold him. Most of the time he was fine as soon as he could see us even though he was still in his carrier. Levi would have preferred to be held on the trip, but that was not safe. He needed to be where he was safe. You see, Levi couldn’t see us, he couldn’t feel us, but he could hear us. And although we had taken many rides he still hadn’t learned to just trust that everything was okay. Isaac had taken many more rides and he knew everything would be fine and that we hadn’t left him. They were both on the same trip going to the same place in the same situation. One of them was calm and the other was not.
Many times we end up like Levi. We are in a situation that we can’t control. We don’t know how it’s going to work out or when it’s going to work out. Then we get stressed and we start losing it so to speak. The thing is Isaac was also in a situation that he couldn’t control. The difference is trust. As Isaac had learned to trust us, we must learn to trust God and know that He will never leave us alone. For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee(Hebrews 13:5 KJV).
Let’s take a look at Psalm 23.
Psalm 23:3-4 KJV 3 …he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Did you see it? It says that He leads us in paths of righteousness then immediately following it says though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. So there may be times that we are led into the valley. Remember that Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil (Matthew 4:1 KJV). Yes we may end up in situations that we don’t understand why we’re there, but we can say I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.
It’s true that sometimes we may not feel God. We may not see God working. We may or may not hear from God. You see we can’t trust our senses nor our own understanding when God acts contrary to them. If given the choice to trust our understanding or God’s we should always choose His understanding.
Proverbs 3:5 NET Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.
Deuteronomy 31:6 KJV Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.