To trust God in all matters is a difficult thing to do. We live our lives, for the most part, without fear of great calamity. We make decisions as to what to buy and sell, where to go on vacation, and a myriad of other things often without much prayer. It is easy living in a prosperous society to become over confident and self reliant. Take for example the farmer who’s barns were full.
"The land of a rich man was very productive. "And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?' "Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' "So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God" (Luke 12:16-21 NAS95).
Unlike this self-reliant farmer, the mature Christian learns to live dependent upon God in the good times. He recognizes that he lives at the mercy of God. However, when things are easy and times are prosperous, it is easy to slip into a self-reliant attitude. Therefore, believers must be careful to always be thankful.
Do not make grand plans for the future to the exclusion of God. Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." (James 4:13-15 NAS95)
Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6 NAS95).
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