Trust When Things Get Stuck

While sitting in a hospital waiting room, I decided to visit the vending machines. I don’t usually get snacks from them because they aren’t the healthiest choices. Can I trust that they are even fresh? And spending $3 for a bag of chips or a few mini cookies doesn’t make much sense. But I was bored and decided to “shop” the row of shining food machines.

I was impressed with all the options. They even had a few healthy choices to make me feel guilty when I didn’t choose them. But who wants a dry nutrition bar when you can have peanut M&Ms or a Reese’s peanut butter cup?

I scanned each of the machines carefully and decided on Cool Ranch Doritos in a $3 bag with four chips in it.  After inserting my money, I carefully pushed the buttons — C4. I watched the little blue bag come toward me, moving slowly on the metal spindle. I held my breath and eagerly waited for it to drop, but then…it stopped. The bag was stuck, swinging back and forth, taunting me.

I groaned and hit the window. It didn’t budge. I banged it a few more times, but nothing.

The One in Charge Can Be Trusted

Then I noticed at the other end of the room, the vending guy was loading water and sodas in another machine. I knew I could trust the one in charge to solve this monumental problem for me.  I approached him and politely explained that my Doritos were stuck in the machine. He smiled and nodded, “Happens all the time.”

He went over to the guilty machine and pulled a key out of his shirt pocket. As he just started to open the glass door, my chips fell into the drawer below. We both laughed and shook our heads. “Yep,” he said. “Happens all the time.” And just to make my day, he handed me a second bag of chips!

We are an impatient sort, aren’t we? It’s not a bag of chips that gets our attention, but the prayers we think go unanswered. We want what we want, and we want it right now. Are you like that, too? Trusting is not easy! But most of the time, His plans have a far better outcome than ours ever do.

Trust That He Knows Best

Sometimes it’s hard to see the work of God in our lives. In our heads, we believe he is there. Deep down we know he loves us and is acting on our behalf. But in the day-to-day grind, we just wish we could see him acting a bit more “obviously. ” Maybe we are like Gideon who asked God for a sign, but then after God did so, he asked for another sign. That was pretty bold of him! (Judges 6:33-40).

Like Gideon, we want to trust God, but we really would like some tangible proof. Maybe we’d be more confident if he would just shout his answers to our prayers in a big booming voice. Or maybe if he did something miraculous that would knock us off our feet, then we would be “sure.”

Why is it so hard to just trust him? Deep down we know, there is growth in the waiting. There are lessons that just take more time to learn. Sometimes they hurt, don’t they? I don’t like them anymore than you do. But he is wiser than both of us. Those lessons are reminders that our dependence has to be on Him. He knows that sometimes we aren’t really ready for the good stuff.

God Is Not a Vending Machine

Think about it, if our Father gave us everything we asked for when we asked for it, why would we need him? He’s not a vending machine that shoots out a cold soda and a bag of Doritos when I put in my money. Yes, sometimes I still get frustrated and bang on the machine when my chips are not falling as fast as I want them to.

When things are tough, and you feel alone, remember that he is still there, orchestrating his beautiful plan for your life. Just be patient in the waiting. Trust him. His timing is always perfect. (I wrote more about trusting God in the tough times in a previous post. Here’s the link to it: https://grandma-d.com/simple-trust-best-results/)

Trust Because He is Always Faithful

There is an old hymn you may be familiar with entitled, “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.” But you may not know the story behind those beautiful words which came from the writer’s personal tragedy and faith. You can read about it here: https://shereadstruth.com/tis-so-sweet-to-trust-in-jesus/

Remember, dear one, that our Father’s love is never-ending. He blesses us with answers just when we need them most. Trust his heart and his perfect will for your life. Ephesians 3:20 assures us: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or even imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Honestly, I can imagine quite a bit, so that’s pretty exciting to think that he will do immeasurably more!

And that is even better than a second bag of Doritos!

Prayer:

Dear Father, you are so patient and loving. You give us so many blessings every single day. Sometimes we forget that you know what is best for us, and we get frustrated and impatient. Help us to trust you in everything. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.