This fall, we're discussing stress.  This is important because stress is something we all face.  Now, we would love to avoid it, but the reality is, we all deal with it.  So, if you think about it, stress is a common experience for all of us, which means the most important thing we can do is learn to manage it well. What we want you to see is that God has given us a pathway to managing stress in a healthy way, right in Scripture.  That is what we are laying out for you this fall: an intentional pathway to managing stress God’s way.  So far, we have done two things.  

First, we discussed the heart behind this series and answered three questions: what stress is, who deals with it, and how we manage it. 

Then, last week, Ken led us on our first step down the intentional pathway God provides for us to manage stress His way.  That first step was to let God lead your life.  This is the primary lesson that life teaches us all.  From the day we are born until the day we leave this Earth, God seems to be leading us deeper into this lesson that we must let go and let Him lead our lives.  Ken took us through Jesus’ teaching on The Prodigal Son and told us to take this first step on our pathway, to let go and let God lead our lives.  We must see that we may have been very wrong.  We need to understand that God isn’t disappointed in us, but that God is looking and waiting to celebrate us.  That requires self-reflection, which means we must slow down and be honest with God about who we truly are.  You will need to ask God to forgive you, heal you, and love you.  When we reach a place of pure and open relationship with Him, there seems to be a shift in our understanding of how big God is and how small we really are. Over time, we find peace where stress once was, and it comes as we let go and let Him lead.

Today, we take step 2, which is trusting God with our lives.  In many ways, these first two steps really go hand in hand.  It’s one thing to say we are going to let go and allow God to lead our lives, but let’s be honest here, it can be a whole other thing to trust him to do it!  We need to be honest here; it isn’t always easy to trust Him, but it’s so important that we do.  I'd want to start with a quote that I love about trusting God.

“Trusting God’s plan is the only secret I know in the gentle art of not freaking out.” Lysa Terkeurst

I want to ask you a couple of questions as we get started.  Are there things you really want in life?  Things you care deeply for or would like to see take place in your life?  Hopes, dreams, stuff that God laid on your heart, that is so meaningful to you?  I have those things in my life too.  Are all those things coming together the way you want?  Is life unfolding the way you hoped, prayed, and pictured that it would?  Are there things you want to accomplish but can’t seem to accomplish?  Let’s talk about your people, you know, the ones that matter most to you.  Are there outcomes in people’s lives you want to see happen so desperately for them because you care so deeply, but it just isn’t coming together?  It’s painful and stressful, isn’t it?  Worse still, you want them to be healthy and thriving.  You want them to know Jesus and have Heaven to look forward to, but every choice they make, well, it scares you, even hurts you, and seems to lead them further away from everything you want for their lives?  Can you relate?  Wanting so much in life, so much for our loved ones, and none of it comes together the way we hope and pray.  This is painful and stressful stuff.  Then, to make it worse, the more you try to help, the worse it seems to get.  Can you feel that?  Yeah, me too.  When the people we love are in a bad spot, we can want to help, fix, and make it better, yet we often seem to do the opposite.  Somehow, in our love and effort, we push them further away. This is beyond stressful; it’s frustrating.  We know that our people could greatly benefit from God, but we just can’t seem to get them to a place where they see that we love them and are helping them; we can’t seem to push them to the place we know would lead to their best lives. Can you relate?   Yeah, me too.  It’s like the harder we try, the worse things get, and the more we care, the harder we try, which in turn only makes it worse.  So, what do we do with that?  We trust God with our lives, we let go and allow Him to lead us, trusting Him in all things, in all ways, which I have no issue telling you is a lot easier said than done.  Whew, I could just talk with you all day on the importance of trusting God.  It truly is the key to everything in our lives, but let’s allow God’s Word to show us a few things about trusting God as we get started here today. 

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! 4 Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock. NLT

God speaking through the prophet Isaiah here helps us see that we find God’s perfect peace in trusting and focusing on Him.  All joy, peace, our best life is found in trusting God.  

Jeremiah 17:7 "But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. 8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.” NLT

God speaking this time through the prophet Jeremiah, saying those who trust in God are like trees planted along the riverbank, with deep roots that reach into the water.  They aren’t bothered by adversity, challenges, or issues that come their way; they live their best life, and something we must see here is that they continue to produce fruit.  As I trust God, I find my best life, regardless of what life throws at me, and I’m also able to share Him and His love with others more effectively.  Do you see it?  Trusting God is the key to all the things we discussed earlier that we desperately want but can’t seem to make happen in our lives.  In trusting God, we find joy, peace, our true selves, a greater ability to share Jesus and impact others, and we find the life we have been working so hard for all along. 

In this week’s discipleship podcasts, you will hear this quote each day, and it’s so important that I wanted to make sure we talked about it this morning…

“We must cease striving and trust God to provide what He thinks is best and in whatever time He chooses to make it available. But this kind of trusting doesn't come naturally. It's a spiritual crisis of the will in which we must choose to exercise faith.”  Charles Swindoll

This is so powerful.  Are you able to relax, cease striving, and trust God to provide what He thinks is best in your life at whatever time He wants and chooses to do so?  Why did he have to bring out that concept of “whatever time” God decides?  God seems to move so much slower than we want, doesn’t He?  When we look at this quote, we would all agree that it sounds right and would be peaceful and relaxing, but it isn’t easy!  This doesn’t come naturally to us; it is a spiritual crisis of the will, which leads us to the greatest challenge of life: surrendering fully to God and allowing Him to lead our lives. I think it’s ok to say it out loud. Sometimes, that is just easier to do than other times.  And the more we care about something, the harder it is.   That makes me of Jesus and the disciples here in John 14…

John 14:1 "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. NLT

This is a beautiful statement from Jesus, and one so many of us turn to for encouragement in difficult times, and we should!  But the context is important here.  This beautiful line from Jesus comes right before His arrest and crucifixion.  He says this after He has washed their feet, he has explained to them that Judas was about to betray them, and that Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster crows the next morning.  He has just given them terrible news, news they didn’t want to hear, and they are struggling to accept it.  They are gutted.  They have watched Judas leave, and they are about to lose Jesus in a horrific way, and on top of that, Jesus says they are going to respond poorly as it all unfolds…think about that.  That is when Jesus says, "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.”   So, think about this.  How do you do at trusting God in the times when your life isn’t going the way you would like it to go?  I wanted to share a few things with you as we discuss trusting God.  First, it ties directly to the idea of letting go and letting God lead our lives.  Second, trusting God is often easier said than done, and the more we care about something, someone, or a situation, the more challenging it is to do.  Third, I wanted you to understand that trusting God is the key to everything we want in life. So often, the harder we work, the worse things get. What we need to do is let go and trust God to do what we just can’t.  So much easier said than done, but this is key to everything we want in life.  And we need to see this: if we do not put our trust in God, we make a hard life harder, often blocking the outcomes we want to see take place in life, while stressing ourselves out more and more.  The harder we try, the worse it gets.   

Here’s the next thing we need to see when it comes to trusting God with our lives, and I want you to personalize this question, because it’s the key to experiencing your best life.

What do you place your trust in?   Listen, if we are not trusting God, we are putting our trust in something else.  We are placing our trust in something, and when it’s God, well, we get that perfect peace that we read about earlier.

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. 4 Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal. NIV

So, this is ideal: we keep our focus on Him, trusting in God, and allowing Him to keep us in the incredible blessing of perfect peace. So, think about this with me.  Do you place your trust in God?  This world has an incredible way of showing us how crazy it would be to trust God, and it gives us plenty of other things to place our trust in that look so right and make so much sense, yet in the end, do not lead to our best lives.  The Bible gives us countless warnings about things we shouldn’t put our trust in.  Things that won’t lead to the life we all desire.  I will show you a few today.   Let’s start with a big one we all face, and it’s people.

Isaiah 2:22 Don't put your trust in mere humans. They are as frail as breath. What good are they? NLT

We are not to put our trust in people.  People aren’t perfect; they will let us down, hurt us, and distract us. I guess what I’m pointing out is that people aren’t God.  Yet, while they are not God, they are so loud and can have a significant pull on our lives.  For some of us, we aren’t putting our trust in others, but in ourselves.  The Bible warns against that as well.

Proverbs 28:26 Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe. NLT

For many of us, this is where we place our trust: in our own insight. We probably wouldn’t say it out loud, but often we think we know best.  Even knowing that God knows best and has something greater going on, it’s hard when it doesn’t make sense to us.  Somehow, we think we have it all figured out, and Solomon says those who do that are foolish. Humility is essential; it is the key to wisdom, and yet it is often overlooked because we trust ourselves more than we trust God.  For others, it isn’t our insight that we place our trust in, but our own strength; one of my favorite verses on this is found in Psalm 20. 

Psalms 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. 8 They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. 9 O Lord, save the king! Answer us when we call! NIV

So often we trust in our own strength, and it makes sense.  If I’m going to win a war, I should trust in the strength of my army and equipment.  David says we trust in God…those who don’t will be brought to their knees. If you think about it, David has the credibility to discuss this, as He defeated a Giant by trusting God, not the weapons King Saul and his soldiers wanted him to fight with!  This is so important, and while we could do this all day, let’s look at one more thing we tend to place our trust in that God’s Word warns against: our wealth. 

Proverbs 11:28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf. NIV

This is a big one for us.  Our wealth undoubtedly gives us a sense of security and protection, but our trust should not be placed in our wealth, but in God, who is the provider of all we have.  Before we move on, please take a moment to consider this: what do you place your trust in?  This is important because we all place our trust in something.  So, think this through: who or what do you put your trust in? For some, it's people; for others, it’s themselves, their intelligence or strength; for others, it’s their wealth.  What is it for you?  And to take this a step further, if your answer isn’t God, how is that going for you?

So, you may be asking yourself an important question.  How do I know if I’m placing my trust in God?  I think that is the right question to be asking, and I want to walk you through a checklist on how to determine what you place your trust in.  This is important, so please try to slow down and answer as honestly as possible.  It’s not about being right or wrong; it’s about learning and growing into the people God created us to be. We cannot change what we don’t know needs changing in our lives! So, even if you aren’t happy with all your answers, you should be, because this is an opportunity to grow and experience your best life possible.  Some of these questions may seem like they have nothing to do with trusting God with our lives, but as you reflect on them, you will see they do.

Here’s the Checklist to Know If I’m Trusting God With My Life: We will start outward and practical, and these questions will turn more inward as we go.

Your Time – How do you spend your time?  A person who places their trust in God is generous with their time.  They aren’t in a hurry.  They aren’t rushing and reacting to life.  The result is that they have poise, patience, boundaries, and priorities, and they give themselves time for what is important. They can wait on God’s timing without frustration or stress, allowing life to unfold.  You know, I started with this one because I’ve been really impacted lately by a quote from Pete Scazzero that I can’t stop thinking about. 

“Your calendar and your priorities are theological documents in your life.” Pete Scazzero

How we spend our time, our priorities, and our calendar reveal what we believe.  What you spend your time on is what you prioritize, and what you prioritize speaks to what you believe. In the same vein, in our lives and priorities, revealing what we believe, let’s move forward with a few more practical ways to reveal what we place our trust in.

Your Money – How do you use and view your money?  If our calendars are a theological document for our lives, I’m thinking our bank accounts may be as well.  How do you view your money?  Is it what I’ve done and have, or is it all that God has provided me to care for in my short time on this Earth?  Do I find security in it or God?  Am I generous?  Do you worry about money?

Your Thoughts – What do you think about?  What consumes your thoughts?  If you’re unsure, consider the conversations you have with others.  What you talk about will help reveal to you what you think about it, which is another way to see what truly matters to you.  Remember, God told us His perfect peace comes when our minds are steadfast on Him.

Your Relationships – What do they look like?   Are they peaceful and gracious, or volatile?  Are you able to love people right where they are, extending the love, grace, and patience with people that we are so grateful that God extends to us?

Ok, now let’s start moving inward and start where it all starts:

Your Relationship With God – What does your relationship with your Heavenly Father look like?  Is it deep and life-giving, or is it a burdensome thing you know you have to do?  Do you look forward to it, or have to do it?  Do you spend time with God?  Is it a priority?

 Your Inner World and Emotions – How do you feel?  What could your emotions be telling you about what you place your trust in?  In so many ways, our feelings are speaking and revealing things to us!

Your Character – Are you able to be the same person regardless of the environment or people you are around?  Someone who places their trust in God isn’t worried about the approval of people or this world; their goal is to please God and do His will.  This means they are free to live as the person God created them to be rather than the person this world wants them to be. They can be themselves in every environment of their life.

Your Ability to Share God and Impact Others – Listen, someone who trusts God is living a life that is restful, peaceful, generous, patient; they aren’t stressed out and rushing through life.  They aren’t reacting emotionally; they are centered.  They can celebrate others rather than compete with them. They are authentic in all environments, and the same person everywhere they go.  They have nothing to prove to anyone because they spend their time necessarily with God, centering on their actual value, which is found in Him.  They aren’t frustrated and wrestling with God for things that are beyond their control; they are able to trust God and allow His will to unfold in their lives.  They can see people, like truly see people, and can place themselves in their shoes.  The person who trusts God fully with their life can love people right where they are, without feeling the need to fix or push them to where they desperately want them to be.

Listen, one of the hardest things is to care deeply for people and want them to experience God, making healthy and good choices in their lives.  The more we care about the person the more stressful and hard this can be…but we must trust God with all of it, right down to our loved ones because the great irony is, the harder we try the worse things can become, we can’t push people into the life we hope and pray they would live, but what we can do is let go, love them where they are, and extend the same love, grace, and compassion to them that God gives us.  It’s when we trust God with our lives that we can live a life that can impact others.  Why?  Because we are living a life that is attractive to someone far from God, and they will see God’s reflection in us, and want to experience what they see in us.  That’s our role, to trust God fully with our lives, and our loved ones, and the outcomes we so desperately want, and to allow God to handle the rest.  It’s so tough, but we have to let go, love people where they are, and stop pushing them to where we want them to be. When we put our trust in God, His love can pull them in, as we reflect Him to them.  Do you see it?   If you want to know how you are doing at trusting God with your life, look outward and inward; you will clearly see the answer to this question.  When we trust Him, we can let go and finally experience that peace we so desperately want in our lives.

As we close, think through this checklist, revisit it throughout the week, and ask yourself some key questions.  

• What would it look like to fully trust God with my entire life?  
• What would I stress over?  
• What would offend me?  
• What would my marriage look like?  
• What would my parenting look like?  
• What would my relationships look like?  
• What would my impact be for God in this world?  
• How would I feel?  
• What would my bank account look like?  
• What would my calendar look like?
• What would my relationship with God be like?
• What would my decisions and priorities look like?  

This is step 2 on our pathway to managing stress in a healthy way, and it may be the biggest choice we make: to trust God with our lives.  I will leave you today with that quote I love so much,

“Trusting God’s plan is the only secret I know in the gentle art of not freaking out.” Lysa Terkeurst