Psalm 37:23-24

The steps of a man are established by the Lord,

    when he delights in His way;

 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,

    for the Lord upholds his hand.

      This Scripture speaks loudly to me.  And for me, it's all about TRUST.  What this Psalm says to me is this:  When I trust in the Lord, I am in step with Him.  I find that every step of my life is determined by the Lord because I am abiding in His ways and that sets me on His path, not my own.  And if I should happen to stumble or fall, I don't need to worry about falling away because the Lord has hold of my hand and is guiding me.  Sounds easy enough to understand, right?

     Here's where I run into trouble.  Trusting God is a moment-by-moment choice for me.  I can't wake up today, feeling confident in my soul, and shout, "I am trusting God!" and expect that to hold me the next hour, day, month or year(s) to come.  I have found, sadly, that my trust is always temporary.  God proves to me over and over that He is working in me and for me, and when all is going well, I am infused with that overwhelming sense of trust and certainty in His presence.  Good times = peace and confidence.  But when Satan attacks and disrupts that "flow of trust", then I am no longer focused on Him or that straight-forward path and find myself at a fork in the road, while frantically searching for Him.

     I have a choice to make.   Which path will I take?  One leads to a separation from His Presence, oftentimes leading to severe moments of doubt and fear.  The other path directs me forward, continuing our spiritual connection and leaving me in His capable hand.  What I have to remember is that when I come to that place of decision, I must consciously (in my mind) and physically voice my trust. 

     I can't tell you how many times I have cried out to God, and quoted Scripture that I honestly wasn't feeling at the moment.  But it was my lifeline to Him!  He never left me; it was I who abandoned my trust in Him. 

     I know that the steps I will take are known by my Lord; He knows my heart and my desire to follow Him.  So I pray for expanded times of "delight in His ways"; for it is there that my trust is rewarded and I bask in His awesome Presence.  And I am thankful for those "other times" when He simply holds my hand until I can renew my mind and restore my trust.