Trusting God With My Present

 TRUSTING GOD WITH MY PRESENT

Read Hebrews 4.14-16

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by your present circumstances? Maybe you're currently experiencing something, or many things, that are causing stress, frustration, or other negative feelings or reactions. It's easy to be so overwhelmed by what we're experiencing that we shut down. When this happens, we often feel alone, like there's no one who understands. However, the gospel teaches that we can find joy by trusting God with our present circumstances.

The Struggles of the Present

The teenage years come with some very unique struggles. You're young enough that you're not given complete freedom but old enough that you're expected to carry a heavy load of responsibility. You're not fully treated like an adult, but you're rebuked when you act like a child. This stage of life can be frustrating and confusing, and all of this comes on top of the physical changes you experience, the emotional complexities you wrestle with, and the social dynamics that you're constantly navigating.

Your present situations may feel incredibly overwhelming at times. In fact, it can be tempting to think you're totally alone in these feelings and that no one, especially not the God of the universe, understands what you're going through. That's why it's important in these hard seasons to remember where we find our true joy.

Jesus Gives Joy in the Present

Hebrews 4.14-16 offers us encouragement for when we feel overwhelmed in these seasons of frustration or confusion about the present. This passage reminds us that our High Priest, the One who stands between us and God, is not some angelic, other-worldly being but is Jesus Christ, God in human flesh. He experienced what it's like to live a life on earth. He is able to sympathize with us in our weaknesses and our human experiences (Hebrews 4.15).

Jesus understands what we're experiencing, and more than that, He offers us help as we walk through those experiences. Nothing we walk through is too small for Him. Remember the shepherds outside of Bethlehem, whom God saw and chose to use (Luke 2.8-15). Others considered them insignificant, but God deemed them worthy of being the first to proclaim the birth of Jesus!

On the other hand, nothing we walk through is too big for God to handle, either. Remember the wise men, to whom God revealed the birth of His Son using the stars in the sky (Matthew 2.1-2). Their story reminds us that God is all-knowing and all-powerful, He is the Maker of all creation and in control of all things. Surely, He can handle the situations in our lives that feel overwhelming and impossible to us.

Truly, if this great God chose to take on human flesh and experience all the things we experience as a human, we have every reason to rejoice. And as we face our present circumstances, we have every reason to put our trust in Him.

What Does This Mean for Me?

Practically, there are three ways to actively trust God with your present circumstances.

First, you can acknowledge and admit that you are unable to face your present circumstances alone. You need Jesus to help you through not only this moment but also every moment of your life.

Second, you can set aside a regular time in your everyday life for prayer. Prayer focuses your heart on God and His will for your life. It allows you to slow down, reflect on and thank the Lord for the blessings He has given you, and regularly ask Him to guide you through your present situations.

Third, you can set aside time for studying the Bible. Just by making it this far in this study, you are well on your way to forming a habit that will greatly impact you for the rest of your life. When you finish this study, ask a parent, pastor, or mentor for guidance on what to read in your Bible next. Regular time in Scripture reminds us of God's goodness and love for us, which compels us to trust Him with all aspects of our lives.

Application Questions

In what areas of your life do you currently feel most alone?

How does knowing that Christ can empathize with you encourage you?

Pray and ask God for help as you learn to trust Him with your present.