Trusting God, Pt. 4

Being conformed into the image of Jesus can be a painful process. God loves us too much to leave us where we are.

Trusting God, Pt. 4

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths."

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

Most of this week's devotions have been focused on the oft-quoted and well-loved verses of Proverbs 3:5-6. Yesterday, I wrote about the testimony Dallas Jenkins shared while being interviewed by Jordan Peterson. He told the story of how he hit the bottom in his career and contemplated driving a bus or taking some other job because he felt like a failure as a director and filmmaker. But one of the amazing things from his story that spoke to me so profoundly was how God was in all of it. He allowed Dallas to be very low and humbled. This put him in a position where he could hear God's voice and will for his life.

It was in that darkest of nights and lowest of places that God comforted his servant and then gave him a clear word that would shape the remainder of his life and also be a blessing to millions of people all over the world who have watched the four seasons of The Chosen. The fifth season will come out March 27, 2025. Dallas said it is their best season. These episodes focus on the last week of Jesus' earthly life and ministry. Dallas said people naturally want him to continue the story of Jesus and His Church as recorded in the Book of Acts. But Dallas feels that the Lord is leading him, after The Chosen, to produce a series on Moses. I believe this too will be epic.

Perhaps you can relate to Dallas' story of coming to an end of yourself only to meet God in the depths of your despair. A time when you gave up on your own understanding and started to fully trust in the LORD. God is amazing. He truly works all things out for our good as promised in Romans 8:28. When contemplating this wonderful verse in the Bible, I think it is always a good thing to consider what Paul wrote immediately after verse 28. Romans 8:29 says, "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."

Being conformed into the image of Jesus can be a painful process. God loves us too much to leave us where we are. He conforms us into the image of His Son, Jesus, because God knows this is for His greater glory and for our eternal good. Jesus fully trusted His Heavenly Father while he walked upon this earth. We never read of Jesus going in a different direction than God the Father. In fact, we read just the opposite. John 5:19 says, "Then Jesus answered and said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner."

I am praying for each person reading this devotion, that the Lord would bless and favor you by bringing an end to your self-reliance and self-sufficiency. May God help you and me to fully trust Him and abstain from leaning on our own understanding. The God who created you and me knows us best and His plans are far greater than anything we can imagine.