Trust and Obey
Growing up in a Southern Baptist church I am familiar with all the old hymns. As I have grown older I prefer more contemporary praise and worship songs but some of those old hymns still have a special place in my heart. One of the songs I sing to myself as a reminder is Trust & Obey. As a type A planner/control freak I am constantly fighting the battle of my pride thinking I’m in control versus knowing I should humble myself and submit to God’s plan completely. This old hymn is my reminder to know the only way to submit and follow Jesus truly is to humbly trust and obey Him as well as His plans, not mine. Let’s take a moment to just read through these powerful lyrics,
“When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
(Refrain:)
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.”
Songwriters: D. B. Towner, J. H. Sammis. For non-commercial use only.
My go-to lines for my daily (mostly multiple times a day) reminders are, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”. It does not get much clearer than that. There is no other way to make it through this life without completely trusting God’s plan. His plan for all is to obey His Word and take action to spread the Gospel. God as our creator knows us better than we know ourselves therefore his plan for us is better than anything we can ever imagine.
If you’re struggling to trust in who God is and that he will work all things for our good even during those difficult seasons of life think of this song and lean into your faith. Write scriptures on post-it notes, in your journal, on your notes app, or even as a screen saver to remind you of his trustworthiness and goodness. Here are a few verses to get you started.
- Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”( ESV)
- Psalm 37:4-6 “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” (ESV)
- Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (ESV)
Spend time in prayer asking God for guidance and trust as you fully submit to His plans. Build that trust and take that leap of faith. Don’t miss out on the goodness He has for you because of the fear the enemy has planted in your mind. Trust and Obey with complete confidence in who our creator is and what he has called you to do then watch as his goodness overflows into all aspects of your life.
-Megan