Closer Than A Brother

I recently went on a trip and had to fly in an airplane. While I love the convenience of flying, I don’t love the whole experience itself. With every bump, shake, drop, or rumble, my heart races and seemingly stops as I imagine what could possibly go wrong, and I pray. I pray a lot. 

Despite my fear, I always know, deep-down, that it will be ok. I trust the airline mechanics checked the engine, the propellers, and all of the vital parts of the plane. I trust the pilot got a good night’s sleep, passed all of his flight exams, and knows what he’s doing. I even trust the seat belt I snap into place and the signs that tell me when I can take it off. None of these things do I know for certain, but I trust them to be true.

So why is it that we can trust engineers, mechanics, and pilots we don’t know when we cannot even trust those we know fairly well?

Trust is a difficult thing to do in relationships, especially if we’ve ever been hurt. It’s easier for me to put my trust in a pilot, engineer, and mechanic because I’ve never been in a plane crash. Extreme example, but it holds truth. Every single one of us has been hurt at least once in a relationship; therefore, it is harder to trust because of that experience.

But God…

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. - Lamentations 3:22-23

God has never failed us, and He loves us unconditionally. He’s never betrayed our trust, abandoned us, or hurt our feelings. When everyone else in our lives has failed us in some way, He has never once let us down. So we can trust in Him and trust Him to be present in our relationships with others.

A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. - Proverbs 18:24 NKJV

You've heard the phrase, "Let go, and let God."  It's exactly what we need to do. We must put our faith and trust in God, not others, and He will guide us through our relationships. It doesn't mean every relationship will last forever. Some are only meant to be with us for a season. But it does mean that we can successfully navigate the  often choppy waters of relationships in a healthy way by putting our trust in Him.

JOURNAL: Do you have a relationship right now where you lack trust? Have you put your trust in God and allowed Him to be present in this relationship?

ACTIVATION/PRAYER: If you haven’t already, give this relationship to God. Ask Him to be present in your relationship with this person. Trust Him to help you navigate this relationship in a healthy and productive way. Give Him the honor and glory when He does it.
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