<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Untitled Document

Courage Enough To Trust
One of my favorite stories is found in the book of Daniel, chapter three. It is the story of three young men who refused to worship false gods and who refused to bow down and worship the image of the king. Under penalty of death they were given a choice to make. Their response is remarkable. In verse 17-18 we read: "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up".
I often wonder that if I had been put in that situation if I would have the courage to stand up and do the right thing. I would hope so, and I pray that I am never put in such a position as these three men faced.
There are many such stories in the Bible about men and women who had nothing left but to trust in their God to protect them and care for them.
In our world today, we find it is so easy to mistrust others. We learn quickly in life that you cannot depend on many people, and often it is those closest to us that violate any trust we may have in them. Such trust is difficult to regain if it is lost.
We learn quickly that things work in certain ways and anyone who tries to change things will meet intense resistance. It does not matter if what is suggested in way of change might help many people. No, it is the change that scares people. Change means to do things in ways they are not used to, and they do not like it. Even if the change would be beneficial, it is still resisted. When the doctor tells you to lose a lot of weight or you might die; maybe, just maybe, you will make some adjustments to your eating habits, but you will most likely find looking at yourself several months down the road that nothing has changed.
Talking of our spiritual souls, we must consider that our soul is treated much the same way. In order to reach heaven, changes in our behavior and lifestyle must be made. But few actually do it. Eternal damnation is the result if we do not change our ways, but the means of avoiding hell seem to be too much to handle for most people. Sadly, the fear of hell is no match to the change that must be undergone.
Learning to trust in God is a big adjustment for so many. For too long, most people have learned to rely upon themselves exclusively. Many people have learned not to trust anyone, and sometimes they do not trust themselves. They are afraid of rejection and the failure to follow through with promises. They are afraid that others will take advantage of them, and hurt them in some way. They are afraid to make that first step towards a better life. The life that Jesus offers is the best life, and so few take advantage of it.
It takes courage to trust, and more courage to trust in an entity that you cannot see. But to those who do learn to trust God without seeing Him, these will be blessed with the greatest of all blessings: Heaven!
Please fight the excuses and fears, and learn to trust in God for the salvation of your soul.
By Carey Scott

Return to the General Articles page

Home / Bible studies / Bible Survey / Special Studies / General Articles / Non-Bible Articles / Sermons / Sermon Outlines / Links / Questions and Answers / What Saith The Scriptures /Daily Devotional / Correspondence Courses / What is the Church of Christ / Book: Christian Growth / Website Policy / E-mail / About Me /