“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7–8
I stood there, at the front of the classroom, as twenty-two high schoolers stared back at me like deer in headlights. Blank faces. Zero raised hands.
I did my best to teach out of the book of Romans, and when I was done, I initiated what should have been a thoughtful discussion. Cue the crickets.
I went home that day full of self-doubt. God had opened a door for me to serve as a substitute Bible teacher at a local private school, and I was failing. Miserably.
The next day, insecurity and discouragement gripped my heart, and on my morning commute to the school, I began to cry out to God. I felt the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit: You stopped relying on Me.
In that moment, I realized that God had opened the door, but then I walked through it alone. I received my marching orders and forgot I still needed Him every step of the way. I had mistakenly placed my trust in myself and my abilities (or lack thereof) and forgot to walk in complete Holy Spirit dependence.
It was a necessary reminder that if we want to fulfill the callings on our lives and bear fruit, we have to do it in partnership with Him. This is why Jesus promised to send us the Helper (John 14:16). He never intended for us to do it on our own.
We must place our trust in Christ—in who He is and in His ability to empower and sustain us. If He has called us to something, He will equip us with exactly what we need to see it through. Even (and especially!) when it’s hard or doesn’t quite go how we expected.
After that morning in the car, there was a tangible shift. I began to pray over every lesson and every student, seeking God in all of it. Was I suddenly Teacher of the Year? Sadly, no. But my days improved as I learned to rely on the Lord.
Trust in Him. Put your confidence in Him. Then, like a tree whose roots reach deep into the stream, you will be strengthened and sustained in every season.
Prayer: Father, help me to trust in You and only You. Not in myself or in my own finite strength, but in the sustaining power of Your presence. I thank You for being with me, always. Help me to walk in complete reliance on You. I ask that You lead me and guide me in all that I do, so that I will never cease to bear fruit for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Want more?
Read Ephesians 3:14–20.
- What areas do you need to trust in God’s power at work in and through you?
- In what areas have you been relying on your own strength instead of Christ’s?
- How can you lean on the Holy Spirit’s strength today instead of your own?
- Where has insecurity crept in, and how do you need the Spirit to strengthen you?
