With a pandemic coming ever closer to our door, I felt like this was a perfect time to shift from a marriage focus to a spiritual one of trusting God more.

Rest assured, our trust in God is a marriage issue!

We are also much better parents and grandparents. 😉

Our confidence and hope in life and marriage soar in correlation with our faith in God.

There’s nothing I can recall ever coming close to how this threat is impacting the world. 9-11 mostly impacted Americans. Tidal waves, earthquakes, financial crises, wars, etc. have all had limited impact on segments of the world. 

I don’t know how this will impact you or me ultimately. But I do know how it’s likely emotionally and spiritually impacting each of us. It’s tempting us to fear.

Did you know that one of the most, if not the most, common command in the Bible is “Do not fear”? It’s in there 365 times—so one command for each day of the year plus one for good measure!

I think God knows just how pervasive and crippling our anxieties and fears can be, especially when we feel like our world is being rocked.

When I was a child, my biggest fears were crossing over bridges and thunderstorms. Now my fears are much more legitimate—based on true threats.

But I’m not giving into them, at least not yet! 😉 If I’m being honest, I’m actually more discouraged than afraid. There are a lot of disappointments and delays that this quarantine and stay-home order are creating in my life.

But either way, this is one time when the need to encourage myself (yourself too) in the Lord has never been more needed.

But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.  —1 Samuel 30:6b

In order to do this, we must first evaluate our level of trust in God. Then apply what each of the corresponding verses in the following inventory reminds us to do.

How Much Do You Trust God?

Click on the link to download “Trust in God” Inventory and to calculate your overall score. 

Hover over each Scripture to see where the questions spring from—scoring yourself based on these: 1 never;  2 rarely;  3 sometimes;  4 often;  5 almost always.

1. I take comfort knowing my faith is in Christ to save me, rather than trying to earn my way into God’s graces and never really knowing for sure if I’m saved (Galatians 2:16; Hebrews 12:2).

This one’s so clear-cut for me, it’s not even a question … I’m a 5!

If you struggle here, it will negatively impact all the other inventory questions. Placing your faith in God to save you will enable you to grow in your trust of Him and His care for you and your family. Check out my “Know God” page today!

2. I consistently seek the Lord’s understanding when I’m afraid or confused, submitting to His word to guide my next steps (Proverbs 3:5-6).

This one’s also 5 for me, but only because I’ve tested this truth over and over again. Every single time, God has given me the understanding I needed. Doesn’t matter what the issue is. It’s all there in God’s word!

Struggle here? Test this one out for yourself. Ask God to open your understanding to whatever is worrying you. If you don’t know where to look, Google search Bible verses on a particular topic. Better yet, get in a Bible study, like my Names of God study starting the week of April 5, 2020.

3. Even though God may not remove the trials in my life, I’m still confident that He is with and protecting me (Isaiah 43:2).

I’m probably a 4 here because of the word “confident.” Depending on the issue, I waver at times.

If you struggle here, memorize or post Isaiah 43:2—reminding yourself all throughout each day of God’s protecting presence.

4. When money troubles come, I make sure to remind myself of how faithful God is to provide for me (Matthew 6:26).

I’m probably a 4 here as well, because, like #3 above, I waver depending on the issue.

Struggle here? Make a list of all the times God provided for you in the past. Then make sure to thank Him for each one, while also faithfully asking Him to provide in your current situation.

5. When I feel weak, I take that as my cue to turn my weaknesses over to Jesus for His power to work through them perfectly (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

I’m a 4 here because I don’t do this quickly enough. My feelings of discouragement are case in point! Part of my delay has been due to busyness. But there’s nothing that should be more of a priority when I’m feeling weak! Thankfully, I took some time this week to work on this very issue. 😉

If you struggle here, it might be because you think you aren’t strong enough. And you’re right! But that’s no problem with a God who is more than strong enough! Get over yourself and crawl into the Father’s lap.

6. Instead of relying on human measures that temporarily calm my anxieties, I look to God, first and foremost, to provide the peace that guards my heart (Philippians 4:6-7).

I’m a 4 here for the very same reasons as I mentioned in #5.

Struggle here? It could be that an idol—an all-consuming focus—has captured your heart. Prayerfully take stock of that, following Philippians 4:6-7’s process to a t.

7. When my world is rocked and losses abound, I’m quick to turn to God for the comfort of His compassion and love (Isaiah 54:10).

I’m a 3 here, mostly because I tend to hesitate to receive God’s compassion and love. It has something to do with being uncomfortable with vulnerability. But I’m working on this!

If you struggle here, it might be for the same reasons. Consider reflecting on this post about a Christ-follower’s identity.

8. When troubles come, I consistently remind myself that God is using these times to strengthen my trust in Him (2 Corinthians 1:8-9).

I’m a 4 here. This is something I’m totally convinced is true, having seen God do this in my life every.single.time.

Struggle here? Then list the trials you’ve been through in one column. In the other column write down what God has taught you in those trials. This may be all it takes to give you a proper perspective about God’s trustworthiness. 

9. Even when others are panicking, I’m able to sleep soundly at night because I know God never stops watching over me and my family (Psalm 121:3; Proverbs 3:24).

I’d say I’m a 5 here. Other issues might mess with my sleep, but not this current crisis or how fearful others are. I do trust God’s vigilant care.

If you struggle here, try praying one of these two verses before you go to sleep. Report back to me on how it goes!

10. When tempted to give into fear, I routinely ask for God’s strength to endure it and He always finds a way out for me (1 Corinthians 10:13).

I’m probably a 5 on this. It helps that I know there will be plenty of problems far too much for me to bear on my own.

If you struggle here, it might be because you’ve bought the lie that God doesn’t give you more than you can handle. Uh … yes, He does! Just not more than He can handle through you.

My application for this week will be to work on #3. I plan to pray more about this issue, asking God to help me drop my guard with Him and welcome His comfort and love. Clickhereto view/download the “Trust in God” Inventory to know how to tabulate your overall score. Then choose one area of weakness to formulate an action point like I did and am! 

Be sure to join me next week when I’ll be exploring how connected we feel/are to our mates, with yet another inventory based in Scripture to help us see and apply necessary changes! 

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Which of the statements in the inventory are you going to work on and how?

 

What are some of the fears you have about the current crisis or the state of your marriage? How can I pray for you?

 

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Even though my WORTHY Bible study on the Names of God starts today, April 5th, it’s not too late to join! And what better time to get started on studying the names of God than the week before Easter? This study will allow you to prepare your heart for Resurrection Day and all that it means! Plus, you’ll be able to make the most of this time physically isolating from others during the crisis by getting into God’s word—ultimately, getting into God! This study will provide the prime opportunity to familiarizing yourself with who God is and how He operates, so that you won’t freak out with all the scary stuff happening all around us!