Trying - Trying/Trusting v Trusting

Galatians 5:1, "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery."

My faith coach, Jim Spivey, really got my juices flowing this morning with his blog. It was a presentation of law v. faith or trying v. trusting. Something very near to my heart at the moment as I "try" to trust God fully. In the blog a quote really hit me. Not as much for it's content as it is from Watchman Nee who I am currently reading.

Nee says, "We have spoken of trying and trusting, and the difference between the two. Believe me, it is the difference between hell and heaven."

Jim says, "Nothing real and lasting is ever accomplished or secured through 'trying,' because 'trying' is grounded in 'not having,' and 'not having' consciousness cannot leave or transform itself, even in the 'getting.' The experience will stay stuck in 'not having' or 'not deserving,' regardless of the physical circumstances. Only 'already having, but not sure how' (i.e. trusting) consciousness can invite and experience a 'shift' into clearly knowing and appreciating how, whether physically getting or not."

Interpretation - - God says in Psalms 50:10, "For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills." God has everything we need physically and spiritually. We have to trust we have it too. We have to trust our need is met because the provision is already there.

So Jim and Watchman Nee, and others, drawl this line between trying and trusting. It is a black and white subject with no mention of grey. And yet I mentioned that I was "trying" to trust. What of trying to trust? And what of trusting God to bless the trying?

We know that in the realm of Christianity there are those that "try" to be Christians. At church and in public they pretend momentarily and act the way that a Christian "should." Yet at home and in private are far different. We see occasionally someone who appears to be fully trusting in their salvation. Free and living for Christ without guilt. But I think most perhaps may fall in between.

When I say that I am "trying" to trust God, the effort is not coming from the trust. The effort is in the crucifying everything within me that will not trust. And in fact it is not me causing the death... it really is God and the only effort I am making is NOT picking up ME again. The effort is to not to succumb to the slight emotional pain and vast life experience. This is something that in the spiritual context is readily understandable. But I want to look at it in the practical world. In the physical world of need.

All around me are people saying "start trying" to provide more for your family and "trust" God to bless that effort. Is this an option in the black and white world of try or trust?

I am reminded of a go-karting lesson. My son raced go-karts on a competitive basis nationally. He was on the same racing team as Danica Patrick. We would go to the races and I was his pit crew. Coming off the track I always made the adjustments to the kart before cleaning it. I wanted the race stuff done first, then the cosmetic could follow. While every other mechanic on the team would clean the kart first and then make adjustments. The results were I was always behind the other guys, and always filthy at the end of the day. Until one day I asked why they did it that way. The mechanic replied, work slower, go faster.

The principle is true. Work slower, and a clean work space, less stress, etc may the job go easier and faster. Likewise more trust and less trying make life go faster... the results come quicker. More prayer, not less until the thoughts are clean, then the work goes faster and is more effective.

I don't have the answer because I am in the middle of discovering the fullness of this truth. The truth to Trust not Try. Somehow if the spiritual is rightly trusting with God, the physical works itself out. Somehow if I/we seek first the kingdom of God (which is spiritual and within us) then all these things (the physical) are added to me/us.

I know that we can trust that we have access to the Father because of the blood of Jesus Christ. I know that when we go to Him in prayer, trusting in that blood and nothing else. In our dirtiest state, or cleanest, trusting in the blood gives honor to Christ and His obedience. I trust that NOTHING can separate me from the love of God. So I go to God, trusting He will speak the answer, show me the path, and display Himself as Provider/Provision in my life. I trust that once I understand Him as such, then He will start the process of showing me Himself as something complete different and expand the total vision I have of Him.

Beyond that I continue to trust and stop trying. Not because it is the latest spiritual fad, but because it is what He is telling me to do. He is saying "stop trying." Shortly I feel He will say "do this" and if He says do this or do that... then I will, trusting it is Him doing it through me. But until then I am going to rest in the freedom from the slavery of trying and my effort.

On the same subject from Hudson Taylor, "Here, I feel, is the secret; not asking how I am to get sap out of the Vine into myself, but remembering that Jesus is the Vine - the root, stem, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers, fruit, all indeed. I have not got to make myself a branch. The Lord Jesus tells me I am a branch. I am part of Him and I have just to believe it and act upon it. I have see it long enough in the Bible, but I believe it now as a living reality... I do not know how far I may be able to make myself intelligible about it, for there is nothing new or strange or wonderful -- and yet, all is new! In a word, whereas once I was blind, now I see... I am dead and buried with Christ - - aye, and risen too and ascended... God reckons me so,and tells me to reckon myself so. He knows best... Oh, the joy of seeing the truth - - I do pray that the eyes of your understanding may be enlightened, that you may know and enjoy the riches freely given us in Christ."

Conclusion - - Trying is our effort, trusting is God's effort... anything in between is lukewarm and as worthless as trying. When we trust God we do, we do not try.... when we trust God we do because it is Christ in us doing.

Let it Rain

Isaiah 30:23, "Then He will give you rain for the seed which you will sow in the ground, and bread from the yield of the ground, and it will be rich and plenteous; on that day your livestock will graze in a roomy pasture."

On the way to church this Sunday I was noticing just how dry everything is. How my neighbors' yard have dead spots even though they are all mostly irrigated. On the roadsides the grass is brown. Stock tanks in the pastures are drying up. So I prayed. I said, "God, I don't know if this drought is your plan or not. But I do know that what you have intrusted me with needs rain. If you will not bring rain to the whole area, will you please bring a thunderstorm to my land?" Pretty simple, heart felt prayer.

As I drove on something triggered a super cool way for churches to raise money, and I spent a lot of time thinking and planing on that over the rest of the afternoon. But as I walked to my barn to put the horses up for the evening I looked up and noticed a rather small dark cloud. I remembered my prayer that morning, and I started praying again. I prayed, "Father, in the name of Jesus I command that cloud to give it's water to my land." Crack, the thunder started. So I prayed some more. I began to pray that the land, the livestock, my family, and my children needed the rain. I prayed for the cloud to not move until it had blessed my land. Over and over different things, different needs, were coming out in the prayer. All done while I cleaned stalls.

In my heart I knew the prayer was dual purpose. After all, in the Bible rain is representative of the Holy Spirit  and God's presence. So as I was praying for physical rain, I knew that I was simultaneously praying for spiritual rain. I concluded with telling the clouds, "bless my land in the name of Jesus. Bless it with all the water in you." Crazy I know... but guess what? It started raining.

So I stood on my front porch in awe, wondering how many people's prayers were being answered. I continued watching the rain and began mouthing a song. Jamie came out and asked what I was saying. I told her, "yes Lord, yes Lord, yes yes Lord."

Say what you want, but those rain drops brought reassurance from heaven for me. Reassurance that He does hear my prayers. That those prayers do have an impact on my life. At the same time they brought a longing for more opportunities to pray. They made me miss the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of times I've gotten to pray for others and see God work in their lives. I missed praying for the sick and seeing God make them well. So if you would like to scratch this itch of mine to pray for others. Feel free to send your prayer request to jeffyuna@gmail.com. In the meantime enjoy the professional version of what I was singing on my porch in the middle of the rain.