Our Trustworthy God: 

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”” Psalm 91:1-2 (NIV)

 

We, at some point of time in our lives, have felt hurt or destroyed by something or someone. Whether a close friend turned their back on us, a family member pointing out flaws, or a significant other leaving, we have all felt the inner turmoil of an unsuccessful human relationship. Within that, we can learn to pick up the pieces and begin to mend ourselves with the help of God, our savior. He can give us the tools to better ourselves by first being able to go to him. We shall not heal with earthly things but be fulfilled spiritually. If we put our trust in Him, why worry?

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About two years ago, I went through a rough friendship breakup. We spent practically every day together and knew each other like the back of our hands. Our relationship started going downhill when she became vocal about my inability to go over on Sundays or Wednesdays when I had church. My friend, who was not very religious, hindered my efforts to grow my faith. Of course, I thought it was okay since we were best friends and did not have to have everything in common. I allowed her to tear not only myself down, but also my faith and trust in God. If he was withholding me from being with my friends, what else would he make me sacrifice? I felt torn, being pulled in two opposite directions by different forces. On one side was my best friend, someone I could vent to and rely on. The other side was God. If I did choose him, I would have no one physically—no one to share memories with or cry to. I believed having someone present physically was worth more than the abundance mentally God could provide.

 

After many debate-filled nights, I knew my answer. I called my friend and told her it was best to keep my distance. Of course, this took work. She wanted to continue being friends. I felt the heavy weight of that future outcome if I agreed to pursue our friendship. However, not believing in God to help heal and move me forward from this hardship would be vastly more complex. Standing firm on my decision, I learned to let go of what was holding my faith back. In this case, it was a toxic friend. When she was not in the picture, I found myself not feeling lonely as I had imagined. Being able to attend church and practice my faith without someone standing beside me insisting it was unnecessary was freeing. By this alone, I found myself healing. I was no longer afraid of being by myself. I had wrongly assumed God would leave me in the dust with nothing left to give. I learned to recognize that everything I thought I had to have to heal was what God had given me in the first place. He already provides us with the necessary tools; we just figure out when and how to use them in our lives.

 

Throughout life, it can be a journey to experience, learn, and grow from what we go through here on Earth. Ultimately, many of us will go through trials and tribulations that add to our spiritual journey and guide us in making the correct choices. For some, it may seem as if God left us empty-handed with no tool in sight. That is the perfect moment to stand firm and look within. When has God ever left you with nothing? That answer is easy: never. God meets you where you are at, not the other way around. By applying this mentality to your life and recognizing your ability, you can learn to trust God and use the inner tools He has given us. I leave you with one question: How will you use what God has given you?