Trusting When It Doesn't Make Sense

So this morning we're going to continue, we're going to look at trusting when it doesn't make sense.

! Trusting when it doesn't make sense.

Let's take a look here as we found in Proverbs chapter 3.

Proverbs 3 · chapter mention

! Notice here as it begins the chapter here, it says,

My son, forget not my law, let thine heart keep my commandments.

Now Proverbs here is written, this particular is written by Solomon,

and we understand this instruction would have been to his son Rehoboam,

who is going to become king of Israel.

But it's also instruction that applies directly to us and the many challenges that we face.

One thing about it is you don't have to live very long to realize life's going to have problems.

Life's going to have challenges. Life's going to have struggles.

We've spoke about those pressures a little bit this morning,

but whether you've been a Christian for one day or 70 years,

God still asks the same thing, and that's to be a follower of him, to trust him.

Ephesians 5 and verse 1 tells us this, it says,

Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children.

To trust them, a childlike trust.

You know, part of that dynamic as you're growing up children is teaching them to trust.

And who to trust.

You know, because who you trust is just as important as what you trust.

We need to learn to trust God.

And what does trusting God look like?

Because this kind of trust is only possible as we grow in understanding of our Heavenly Father.

As we do, we'll be able to trust him more implicitly.

Even when doing so doesn't make sense.

You know?

We find here in Proverbs chapter 3,

Proverbs 3 · chapter mention

three very important things as we're going to look through here this morning

when it comes to learning to trust God when it doesn't make sense.

Because the first thing is, how are we going to deal with it?

How are we going to walk through when it doesn't make sense?

What's going to guide us when it's the fog of life?

You know, sometimes they talk about the fog of war.

Sometimes I think we have a fog of life.

There's so many things happening that we can't see everything that's a distance around us

to get our perspective because of all that's happening.

And we see that taking place.

And we're going to look here this morning about the foundation of those things.

Because notice here that he tells them in verse 1, he says,

Forget not my law.

You know?

The importance of that to refer that foundation of trust that we're going to find here

in Proverbs chapter 3.

Proverbs 3 · chapter mention

This passage is important because it begins with a reference to the law.

Our foundation is the word.

The law of God.

What God has said.

This passage brings that point to us.

To grow in our trust in God, we need to give heed to the scripture.

To give heed and priority to the word of God.

You know?

What we find in the word of God, the word of God is the foundation of a Christian life.

You know?

It's kind of ironic today as I see social media brings out all the hidden things around us.

Because the thing about social media is that people say things,

if it comes into their mind, they put it out.

And what it reveals, how many people don't truly trust,

they say they're Christians and they trust God,

but then you see what they post of what they trust.

It's like there's something incompatible here.

What's guiding you in life?

What is the foundation for which your faith is set?

Is it on people's opinions or is it on the word of God?

When we understand that the word of God is that very important,

it refers to Jesus Christ, the law.

From the onset of Proverbs chapter 3,

Proverbs 3 · chapter mention

the first thing Solomon asked his son to remember is his law.

You know, it seems that Solomon is actually referring

not so much to his instruction as to God's.

As we read down through this passage,

the actual law of God using the possessive pronouns.

My indicates his reference to the family direction

based on the word of God.

You know, there's a direction there to not forget God's word.

You know, the word of God is that foundational structure

that builds our faith upon.

It's what we build our faith upon.

It's on what God has said.

The, excuse me, the word of God.

Throughout history and the scripture,

you'll find God promotes and pushes that

even to the point of impacting the family.

Solomon was worried about his family.

The foundation on which it is built

and there should be that dynamic to instruct

in the word of God.

Look over in the Old Testament for a moment.

Go to Deuteronomy chapter 6.

Deuteronomy 6 · chapter mention

Deuteronomy chapter 6.

Deuteronomy 6 · chapter mention

As you look down at verse 4,

the word of God tells us something very important

because here's Moses,

and God has given him instruction

of what the children of Israel were supposed to do.

What was supposed to take place?

You know, he was to teach their word,

his word diligently to their children.

Notice what it says, verse 4.

It says,

Hear, O Israel,

the Lord our God is one Lord,

and thou shalt love the Lord thy God

with all thy heart,

with all thy soul,

with all thy might.

And these words which I command thee this day

shall be in thine heart.

And notice this,

and thou shalt what?

Teach them diligently to who?

Thy children.

And shall talk of them

when thou sittest in thine house,

and when thou walkest by the way,

and when thou liest down,

and when thou risest up.

You know, as parents,

we have a responsibility

to teach our children the word of God,

to lay a foundation for them

that gives them a direction in life.

You know, it tells us this dynamic.

Ephesians chapter 6,

Ephesians 6 · chapter mention

there in the New Testament,

tells us this,

And ye fathers,

provoke not your children to wrath,

but bring them up in what?

The nurture and admonition of the Lord.

You know, we live in an age

where we see a lot,

there's a lot of articles written today

about people walking away from their faith.

You know, the real question

that comes to my mind,

what was their faith built upon?

You know, we talked this morning

about what Jesus said,

you know,

did you build your house upon the rock,

or did you build your house upon the sand?

I think there's a lot of people,

they're not walking away from a faith.

Everything that they founded their faith on

was just a facade.

And when storms came,

it crumbled away.

But it was built upon the rock,

a firm foundation.

It has what it needs

to withstand those storms,

withstand those things.

And we need to understand

the importance this morning.

If you're going to have a faith

that you can trust,

even when you don't understand it,

it has to be firmly grounded

in the Word of God

and understanding the need

to be intentional about it.

Solomon was intentional

to instruct his children.

It needs to be intentional

and saturated within their life

and to understand the importance

because what we're talking about this morning

starts at the home.

You know,

a firm faith doesn't start at church.

A firm faith starts in the home.

What the kids see,

what they do,

what they hear.

You know,

the importance

that we see

as Solomon is bringing out here,

Proverbs chapter 3.

Proverbs 3 · chapter mention

And, you know,

church as we come alongside,

because as we gather together

as a church family,

it's to help reinforce

and to encourage

what's already taking place.

But also with others

to build them up,

to help others

to build those same things.

And, you know,

I want you to understand this morning

something very important

as we're talking about this.

As we have kids downstairs

in Sunday school,

you know what?

Our Sunday school teachers are great,

but it's not their responsibility

to teach your children

everything about God.

They might hear something

in Sunday school,

but you know what?

The foundation is built

of how the parents deal with it.

What do the parents do?

Because that's what puts in place

the building blocks.

And we see this dynamic

that when we fail

to prioritize time for God,

His Word, His people,

you know,

when we allow other things

to incringe in,

to edge out God.

And I want you to understand

the Bible makes it clear

in that if you replace God,

think about what Deuteronomy said,

thou shalt love the Lord thy God

with all thy heart,

with all thy soul,

with all thy might.

What's it saying?

If you replace something else

as the priority of love,

it becomes an idol.

You know, it's very easy

to get a lot of idols.

And we see here,

if we're going to have

a foundation of faith

that lasts

when it doesn't make sense,

we need to make sure

that it's grounded

upon something

that does not move.

And that's the Scripture.

The Word of God

is the absolute foundation

to a healthy life,

both for yourself

and for a church.

You know?

Because we need to be grounded

in the Word of God.

You know,

Paul tells Timothy

in 2 Timothy chapter 4,

2 Timothy 4 · chapter mention

he says,

You know what?

When people get away

from the Word of God,

they start believing

all sorts of strange things.

They'll believe

all sorts of fables.

They'll be drawn away

from the things of God.

You know what it is?

It's idolatry.

We need to be grounded

on the Word of God.

But we live in a day,

you know,

sometimes I'll just listen

to different messages

and different things

just to kind of see

what's happening.

You know,

there's a lot of things

that are,

they put up a proposition

of being preaching

of the Word,

but a lot of it

is nothing but

the philosophy of the world.

You know,

how do I feel good

about this?

Or how does this

make me feel

instead of,

what do I need to know

to build a solid faith?

You know,

because we all know

that feelings

are deceiving.

You know,

there's a lot of people

get deceived

by their feelings.

You know,

when trouble comes in life,

when things we don't understand,

you know what?

Oftentimes we let our feelings

supersede fact.

Even in a lot of areas

of our life,

not just in the Word of God,

but in other areas

of our life,

we let what we read

on the internet

or we see a short clip

and we follow that

instead of saying,

is it true?

Does it have basis?

Does it have substance

behind it?

You know,

and people want to align

those things

with the culture

of what people want

to hear

instead of what

they need to hear.

That's what the Bible

talks about here

of turning away

their ears

from the truth.

To trust the Lord,

we must be taking

in His Word

and building our lives,

our families,

and our church

on this foundation.

He says,

forget not my law,

but let thine heart

keep my commandments.

You know,

here in Proverbs chapter 3,

Proverbs 3 · chapter mention

Solomon not only mentions

the law,

the Word of God,

but he also mentions

the commandments.

This is a reminder

that God's Word

is meant to be obeyed.

You know,

it's not just

generic instruction,

it's applicational instruction.

It's not just information,

but application.

When we understand

we have to trust

what the Word of God is,

we need to build

that dynamic

in our life

to keep His commandments

to bind them

about thy neck

and to realize

the importance of it

and to understand

how this comes about.

Look down as we

look here in verse 3,

it says,

let not mercy

and truth forsake thee,

bind them about thy neck

and write them

upon the table

of thine heart.

You know,

to keep God's commandments

is to obey them

and we'll never do it

without intention.

Have you ever noticed

in life,

that's one thing

I've learned

as I've grown up

is that the reality

is you get done

what you intend

to get done

because you put

priority upon it.

Priority says

this is what is important.

This is what we need

to grab a hold of.

Look back over

into Deuteronomy chapter 8

Deuteronomy 8 · chapter mention

for a moment.

You know,

Deuteronomy chapter 8

Deuteronomy 8 · chapter mention

and the Word of God

tells us this

in chapter 8 verse 11.

The Word of God

reminds us of this.

It says,

Beware that thou forget

not the Lord thy God

in not keeping

His commandments.

You know what?

A lot of people

that profess to know God,

they forget God

because how do they do that?

Because they put God

on the sideline.

They forget His commandments.

They forget what He said.

They don't want to keep

His judgments

and His statutes

which I command thee

this day.

Lest when thou hast eaten

and art full

and hast built goodly houses

and dwelt therein

when thy herds

and thy flocks multiply

and thy silver

and thy gold

is multiplied

and all that thou hast

is multiplied

then thine heart

be lifted up

and thou shalt forget

the Lord thy God

which brought thee forth

out of the land of Egypt

from the house of bondage.

You know what?

Our tendency

is to forget God's instruction

when life is going well.

You know a foundation

of faith

happens when life

is going good.

It's tested

when life goes bad.

When life goes sideways.

But you know what happens?

Oftentimes people want

that to try to build

the foundation

in the midst of the storm.

You know what?

You don't build

something solid

in a storm.

All you do is hope

to get something

to survive.

The problem

when we

our faith

that triumphs

when we don't understand

is only available

when we have a foundation

before the storm happens.

To build those things

to understand

that obedience

to God

needs to be

a regular part

of our life.

To do this

we need to bind

God's word

close to our heart

to understand

the importance

of it binding

to us.

You know

we're to keep

God's word

much like

it tells us here

that we're to

bind it about

our neck.

In other words

to have something

as a reminder

something that is

there.

It adds beauty

it adds attractiveness

but it also

reveals

what's important

something that's

close to us

it's before us.

Our life

ought to be

saturated

with the word

of God.

You know

to bind

the word

of God

in

our heart.

You know

the one key

to this

is intentional

and continually

exposing ourselves

to the word

in a multitude

of ways.

You know

think about

all the ways

today that you

can get the word

of God

to yourself.

Number one

most important

is to read it.

You know

reading

is important

for people

to be able

to understand

the word

of God.

One of the

key things

of growing

is not just

hearing

but reading.

To understand

what it says

and why

he said it

and to put

that into

our everyday

life

and to put

that in

by reading

by studying

by hearing

the word

of God.

You know

faith cometh

by hearing

and hearing

by the word

of God.

How we put

that in

is going

to build

our faith

and it

takes

to understand

the context

of these

things

to spend

time

in it.

You know

I don't want

to show

of hands

but let me

ask you a

question.

A lot

of times

people say

well I

don't have

time to

read my

Bible.

Let me

ask you

a question.

Maybe you

need to

set

most phones

have a

little thing

that will

tell you

how long

you spent

doom scrolling.

It will

actually give

you a little

report.

How many

hours did

you just

stare at

the screen?

You know

the thing

about

modern

technology

is it

can catch

you up.

It's like

well I

just want

to check

this and

then it's

like squirreled

and next

thing you know

an hour is

gone.

Or two

hours gone.

It's

amazing we

have time

for that.

You know

what it

is?

We don't

have time

for God

because we

didn't put

an intention

behind it.

I want to

encourage you

this week

next time

you find

yourself

doom scrolling

get your

Bible out

and I'll

give you a

little clue

a hard

copy is

better than

your phone

because you

know what

the best

thing you

can do

is get

distracted

in your

Bible.

When you

study I

don't know

if you've

ever been

distracted

in your

Bible

but when

you start

studying

the word

of God

you know

what happens

you start

chasing

things.

It's like

oh that

verse over

here

and this

one

and you

get caught

up in it

you begin

you might

say positively

scrolling

your Bible.

Instead of

doom scrolling

on Facebook

or Instagram

you're putting

in something

that's beneficial

because you

know what

it'd be

to connect

those things

in your

life you

know

whether

this

tremendous

tool

electronic

devices are

but they

can also

be a

tremendous

distraction.

We need

to understand

we must

commit

to God's

word

we must

do what

it says

bind it

around our

neck

and integrate

it into

every aspect

of our

walk.

To immerse

ourselves

in God's

word is

far greater

value

to our

time than

any other

use of it

because we

build our

faith for

the moment

that is

needed.

You know

consider what

Joshua said

are that

God instructed

Joshua in

Joshua chapter

Joshua 1 · chapter mention

1 and

verse 8

tells us

this

this book

of the law

shall not

depart out

of thy

mouth but

thou shalt

meditate

therein day

and night

and thou

mayest observe

to do

according all

that is

written therein

for when

thou shalt

make thy

way prosperous

and then

thou shalt

have good

success.

What are

we doing?

How are

we building

on the

foundation

of the

word of

God?

You know

secondly

a faith

that stands

the test

here

is our

focus

needs to

be

upon

Christ.

You know

when the

scripture is

our foundation

our focus

will be

directed

to the

Lord.

You know

when we

understand

look back

in our

text here

for a moment

look down

at verse

4

it says

show shalt

thou find

favor

and good

understanding

in the

sight of

God

and

man

to trust

in the

Lord

with all

thine

heart

and lean

not on

thine

own

understanding

in all

thy ways

acknowledge

him

and he

shall

direct

thy

paths.

You know

to have

the right

focus

the focus

on the

word of

God

when the

scripture

is our

foundation

our focus

will be

on the

Lord.

The focus

on God

is vital

for strengthening

our faith

when things

don't make

sense.

Because I

want you

to understand

there's going

to be

things that

come

it's like

how do I

put this

together?

together.

Now I

won't ask

for a

show of

hands

but how

many have

had something

happen that

you ask

why?

I don't

think there's

anybody exempt

from that.

Lord why

did this

happen or

why did

you allow

it to

happen?

You know

why why

why why

why?

The reality

is sometimes

we don't

know why

but we need

to get

through the

storm with

the right

perspective.

Because sometimes

we don't learn

about the

why until way

later if we

even do.

we don't

understand what's

all happening

but if the

focus needs

to be upon

the Lord

to trust

in the

Lord to

get a good

understanding

of what he

has for us.

You know

look over to

Hebrews chapter

Hebrews 12 · chapter mention

12 for a

moment.

Hebrews chapter

Hebrews 12 · chapter mention

12 in

verse 1

if our focus

is on the

Lord we need

to trust him

but notice

what it says

it says

wherefore

seeing we

also are

compassed

about with

so great

a cloud of

witnesses

let's lay

aside every

weight

and sin

which

thus easily

beset us

and let

us run

with patience

the race

that is set

before us

looking unto

Jesus

the author

and finisher

of our faith

who for the

joy that was

set before him

endured the

cross

despising the

shame

and is set

down at the

right hand

of God

on the throne

of God.

You know

I want you

to see here

in Proverbs

our focus

is on that

our focus

is on Christ

one is to

trust him

to trust

in the

Lord

now let me

ask you

something

trusting

how does

trust

come about

is trust

random

or is trust

intentional

that's a great

question isn't it

when we

understand

that it

intentionally

when we

trusting God

involves

intentionally

placing

our confidence

in him

leaning in

wholeheartedly

on him

instead of

leaning on

our own

selves

you know

when things

don't make

sense

we often

rely upon

how we

feel

how we

think

how others

think

or feel

about a

situation

but the

important part

is not how

somebody else

feels about

it

or what

somebody else

thinks about

it

what has

God said

about it

that we

need

and we

can trust

and rely

upon

you know

notice what

God tells

here because

the root

is of

trust

is a matter

of confidence

to say we

have confidence

in something

or someone

is to say

that we

can rely

upon that

thing

or that

person

you know

one reason

we can

confidently

rely on

God

is that

his wisdom

and knowledge

infinitely

surpasses

our own

you know

I think

part of the

problem we

get in

we sometimes

think we're

the smartest

person in

the room

I have

the answer

I can

get through

this

I can

overcome

this

let me

ask you

a question

how many

times have

you heard

that

you can

do it

you know

that's said

as an

encouragement

sometimes

but the

reality is

there's

sometimes

in life

that you

can't

do it

that you

need a

confidence

and a

strength

in something

outside of

yourself

today's

modern world

it's all

about me

me

me

me

me

you

can

you

can

you

can

you

can

I

I

I

but a

confident

trust in

God

says

him

him

look over

to Isaiah

55 for a

moment

Isaiah

55

look down

at verse

8

this is one

of the

verses

I've

thought about

a lot

this year

even in the

last few

years

with a lot

of different

things

look down

at verse

8

it tells us

this

it says

for my

thoughts

for my

thoughts

are not

your

thoughts

neither

are your

ways

my

ways

say

it

the

Lord

you

know

oftentimes

we think

we know

what we

need to

have

or how

we need

to get

it or

what we

need

to do

but God

says that

his

thoughts

are not

our

thoughts

have you

ever

noticed

that way

God

allows

things

to

happen

sometimes

doesn't

match

up with

what we

think

it

ought

to

be

we

have

this

!

picture

little

perfect

of

everything

is

going

to

plan

out

this

way

and

then

as soon

as it

gets

wavered

we

get

off

to

the

side

we

get

distracted

we

get

drawn

away

why

because

our

confidence

is

what

we

thought

instead

of

what

God

has

said

and

when

we

understand

the

importance

look at

verse 9

there

in Isaiah

55

it

says

for

as

the

heavens

are

higher

than

the

earth

so

are

my

ways

!

higher

than

your

ways

and

my

thoughts

than

your

thoughts

you

know

we

can

comprehend

that

today

the

heavens

above

the

earth

you

know

that's

a

large

number

you

know

when

you

consider

how

big

the

heavens

are

outside

of

this

little

ball

floating

around

that

we

call

earth

the

vastness

of

God

says

my

thoughts

are

higher

than

the

heavens

from

you

notice

what he

tells

him

he

tells

him

this

dynamic

that

as

the

heavens

are

higher

than

the

earth

so

are

my

ways

higher

than

your

ways

and

my

thoughts

than

your

thoughts

but

you

know

what

sometimes

we

think

well

God

let me

tell

you

how

I

want

it

done

you

know

that's

part

of

our

problem

because

trusting

!

Him

isn't

saying

God

let me

tell

you

how

I

want

it

accomplished

or

what

I

expect

we

become

God's

counselor

instead of

trusting

God

look over

to

Romans

Romans 11 · chapter mention

chapter

11

for a

moment

Romans

Romans 11 · chapter mention

chapter

11

we

find

here

in

verse

33

important

passage

it's

this

dynamic

look

here

in

verse

33

it

says

oh

the

depth

of

the

riches

both

of

the

wisdom

and

knowledge

of

God

how

unsearchable

are

his

judgments

and

his

ways

past

finding

out

for

who

hath

known

the

mind

of

the

Lord

or

who

hath

been

his

counselor

you

know

Romans

asked

a good

question

who's

been

God's

counselor

in

this

whole

thing

God

is

above

!

all

those

this

dynamic

of

what's

happening

and

sometimes

we

don't

understand

all

that's

going

on

around

us

we

see

things

in

the

world

around

us

of

poor

and

needs

and

we

see

war

and

we

see

suffering

and

we

see

wickedness

take

place

you

know

one

of

the

things

people

do

today

well

look

at

all

this

and

how

can

there

be

a

God

if

all

that's

taking

place

you

know

there's

a

God

how

can

he

allow

poverty

war

and

suffering

so

at

that

moment

a

rough

looking

man

that

was

homeless

walked

past

by

the

barber

shop's

window

and

the

pastor

pointed

in

the

man's

direction

and

asked

the

barber

you're

a

barber

and

claimed

to be

a

good

one

how

can

you

allow

a

man

to

go

unkept

and

unshaven

the

barber's

reply

was

he

never

gave

me

a

chance

to

cut

suffering

of

this

world

does

not

indicate

there

is

no

God

but

that

man

has

made

choices

to

reject

him

you

know

that's

part

of

the

hard

part

of

the

dynamic

because

people

think

we're

good

the

Bible

says

the

heart

is

desperately

wicked

and

who

can

know

it

as

I've

gone

through

life

things

people

do

don't

surprise

me

anymore

because

you

know

what

it

reveals

it

reveals

the

wickedness

in

the

heart

even

people

who

profess

to

know

God

do

wicked

things

it's

not

a

God

problem

it's

a

heart

problem

God

allowed

them

to

make

a

choice

and

God

calls

us

to

trust

him

with

our

entire

heart

it's

a

wholehearted

trust

that

engages

in

the

totality

of

our

innermost

being

when

it

comes

to

trusting

!

God

we're

to

hold

nothing

back

you

know

to

truly

trust

him

this

kind

of

wholehearted

trust

involves

both

a

positive

and

a

negative

choice

positive

is a

decision

to

lean

into

God

as

a

source

of

support

and

substance

and

negatively

it's

an

intentional

choice

not

to

rely

on

our

own

understanding

because

we're

going

to

trust

something

everybody

trusts

something

the

question

is

when

life

happens

what

are

you

trusting

!

Are

you

trusting

in

yourself

are

you

trusting

in

the

Lord?

you

know

when

we

understand