As I lay on my bed staring at the antiquated light fixture and the cracked ceiling above it, I was angry. All my resources were gone and I did not know where to turn next. My weekly rent for the room was due in two days and it looked like I would be living in my car once again.
Turning my head toward the night stand, the bottle of whiskey was about empty. I had spent my last dollars to buy it. Fear ran through me. What was I going to do when the booze was gone? I had not been sober in months and now it I was facing enforced sobriety and it was not fair! I wanted to hurt someone.
Three weeks before I had been the general foreman for my company. Life was good. True enough that I was living in a dive motel with a weekly rate. But it was within walking distance of my favorite watering hole and the place was cockroach free. I had never missed a day of work and the company’s projects were humming along. So why had I been fired? How could my partner do this to me?
It seemed without cause I had been called to our Ogden office. I thought that I was coming there to talk over our plan for the next month. Instead when I sat down Sam handed me an envelope. He said, “John, there is two weeks’ pay. I need someone running the work who I can get along with.” Anger welled up in me, “Your firing me? I thought I was a partner in this company….” I could speak no more. I stood up and the only thing I could do was direct every swear word I knew at a man whom I thought was my friend. I felt betrayed. Turning to leave, I called over my shoulder, “You will be sorry for this!” Now as I sat in that dank room remembering, tears welled up in my eyes. I mumbled, “You can’t trust anyone in this world!” With that I sucked down the last of my whiskey.
Today, as you read this, who do you trust? For some of us it has become a world where skepticism and mistrust is a way of life. I could go on and on about politics, race or even religion, these have become things that divide us. If I tell you here that I am a liberal or a conservative, better than half of you will start to mistrust anything I should say. Because I am a Seventh Day Adventist, you might stop reading this blog. You see my point is, when we trust in things of this world we are apt to find we are building a house on sand.
I spent a great deal of my life doing just that. I went from one cause to another or I went from one relationship to another but always basing these on the shallow foundations the world has to offer. I was always disappointed because either I failed or others failed me. I found myself unable to trust anyone. That is until I met the one who says, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house, yet it did not fall, because it had a foundation on the rock.” (Matthew 7: 24-25)
When I began to believe the words of life that Jesus had to offer, trust him, things began to change. Understand me, the world did not change. In fact, I look around me and see more division and distrust than ever. But when I started to base my life on the Word, I just started to see things in a different way. I knew that I had to live in such a way that I could be trusted and I could not do that alone. Every day I had to recognize, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me. So, I live in this earthly body but trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2: 20 NLT) I finally found someone I could trust fully and as He lives in me I can be more trustworthy. My friends, that can rock your world!
Years ago, as I sat alone, angry, and full of mistrust, I would have never believed I would be writing about total trust in anything. Even though my partner and I patched up our difference and I did not end up living in my car. I went on for years scoffing at those who tried to convince me that if I could accept what Jesus did for me that I could truly learn to trust. I laughed in their faces or worse. But I am telling you today that it is true. And if a true skeptic like me can see the truth, I know there is hope for any of you. But don’t take my word for it, take Jesus’, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11: 28) Lay the burden of your world-weariness and distrust on Him who already died to do just that for you. Do it today. Trust me, Jesus will rock your world too!
Blessings John
8/30/17