Confidence = Personal Happiness

Hear my cry, O Lord attend to my prayer from the ends of the earth I will cry to You. When my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings" Psalm 61: 1-4

Do you feel overwhelmed by your circumstances? Has it caused you to doubt God's love for you?  This happens to a lot of us at one time or another- well, if we are honest, it happens quite frequently. It may come as a surprise to some, but Jesus promised, that's right promised, that in this world we would have tribulation (John16:33). But the best part is He didn't stop there. He went on to say "But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

So why is it that sometimes we are so quick to wonder why things are happening to us?  For me, it happens when I take my eyes off of Jesus and I am so focused on my situation that I forget my heavenly Father is waiting for me to cry out in honesty before Him - just as David did in this Psalm.

Having confidence and joy in the Lord, doesn't mean we are to live in denial of our circumstances, rather, it is recognizing that we can take everything to the Lord and that He is more than willing, and the only one who is able to help us through with lasting results. Peter said it well:
 

"Casting all of your cares upon Him, for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7)

We might as well be honest with Him because He knows what we are thinking anyway. 

 "I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings" (VS 4)

Unfortunately, running to God isn't usually our first choice; instead, we look to the world for answers and comfort. We buy into these answers against our better judgment, but we want the quick answer and frankly, sometimes God just takes too long.

However, true peace and freedom only happens when we come to the place where we are willing to say, "I will trust in the shelter of Your wings" 

Even so, what does this mean? It means reading His word. It means surrendering your will to His. It means surrounding yourself with strong Christians who will endure with you, and it means you are going to make a commitment to believe God when He says He will take care of you and you will wait it out - knowing the storm will end, knowing you will be a stronger and healthier person for it.

Taking these few steps will cause your heart to rejoice and before you know it, the doubt and fear will melt away and your confidence in the Almighty God will be restored.

From experience, I have learned that this is the way to personal well-being and happiness.

© Teresa Ortiz - In Season Ministries

Teresa is a wife, a mother and most importantly, a daughter of the Most High God. She in the founder of In Season Ministries, an author, and a speaker—her greatest joy is leading others closer to Christ through practical study and teaching of the Scriptures. For more information, please visit www.inseason2tim.com