Velcro Trust

A knowing smile crept across my face as I read this verse this morning while dawn was breaking and the New York City streets were starting to stir. I exhaled with a contented, audible sigh. This verse will carry you through every battle life throws your way if you only believe it with your heart, mind, and soul. It doesn’t say a thing about your circumstances being kept perfect; it is about being at peace regardless of your circumstances. It is about believing in the overwhelming love and goodness of your Father when life doesn’t feel overwhelmingly lovely or good.

I never fully grasped this concept until I faced profound grief. It sometimes felt like I was functioning in the world on auto-pilot in my mind while simultaneously staying in constant conversation with my good, good Father within my heart and spirit. He was my focal point. He alone got me through each day…each hour…each breath. I know that any time I have felt far from God, it is not because He has left me but because I have wandered off. Well, during that time of grief, I had some major separation anxiety. I was the Velcro toddler wrapped so tightly around my Daddy that you’d have to peel me off! Just envision any Dad walking with his child wrapped around his leg. Yep! That was me! The peace that came from that total dependence and trust was inexplicable and yet more real than anything I have ever experienced in my lifetime. It helped me to see that this same peace is available to us every day when we choose to walk with a posture of surrender.

There is an app called Pause by John Eldridge, which is very helpful when I am tempted to pick up worry and stress along my journey. The first words are, “Jesus, I give everyone and everything to you…” That is the perfect place to start!