You Are My God
But I trust in you, LORD; I say, “You are my God.” —Psalms 31:14 NIV
Our hearts and minds can quickly turn to alternative sources of help when the pressures of life build up. It is easy enough to worship and seek God in the controlled environment of the church or the stillness of a morning devotional on the back porch. In the same way, most believers find it clear to seek God in times of crisis. Something about heightened trouble can bring clarity to call on God for help. We may be quicker to recognize that we need help when the challenge overwhelms us.
How do we pursue God at all times outside of the crisis or comfort? How do we cultivate a life of abiding obedience to the Holy Spirit if we are only “tuned in” when things are extremely hard or extremely good?
Jesus warned the church of the dangers of being lukewarm in Revelation 3:15-16, saying, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
Being lukewarm is unacceptable to God because it causes us to turn off our hearts before him and live lives of comfortable apathy. Worse still, the lukewarm believer can hardly sense that anything is off, and most often, a church and a pastor affirm their right to stay complacent! I’m writing in dramatic language here, but Jesus doesn’t shy away from the severity of having a hard heart.
If we only seek God in extremely challenging or peaceful moments, it shows that we probably aren’t building our lives on faith in God. How can we say we trust him when he is merely a source of entertainment and relaxation or a 911 emergency call?
Between times of rest or crisis, we live the daily grind where it is so easy to fall into the trap of busyness. Life is hard, and we quickly become burdened with responsibilities. I’m working two jobs, finishing a master's degree, and my wife and I are raising two boys under two! It is tempting to be consumed entirely with these obligations and push God further down the path. I have every practical excuse to tell God I don’t have time for him! It is so tempting to wake up and immediately start taking care of the tasks for the day, skipping right past prayer and remembrance.
Delaying connection with God might seem like the right thing at the moment (understanding I’m not saying you should neglect your responsibilities or relationships). Still, over time it leads to the place of being spiritually lukewarm. We can combat lukewarm hearts by building a life of daily trust in the presence of God through all things.
It is incredible how quickly the posture of our hearts changes when we confess that we trust God. Breakthrough happens in an argument with your spouse when you both finally throw up the white flag and say, “God, YOU can help us figure this out!” Clarity and peace come to a challenging financial situation when you finally open your hands and pray, “God, I trust you with my money.” You can creatively imagine your own scenarios where returning to trust in God brings renewed power.
In the same way, it amazes me how quickly the mundane moments of our lives are filled with divine purpose when we put our trust in the Lord. How many things in your life are you viewing as cumbersome burdens that God intends to use for his glory?
David continues by saying, “You are my God.” Notice how his tone shifts from a functional relationship with God to an intimate connection with God. How radical is it for David to claim that Yahweh was his God when the culture around him viewed Gods as entities outside of the human experience? David understood that his God Yahweh was as much a divine ruler as a personal friend. Not only are we called to trust God in and through all things, we are invited to know him personally.
There’s no room for a lukewarm heart when God is faithful and present. Wherever you are in your spiritual journey today, I invite you to pray Psalm 31:14. Do it with your hands open to remind your heart to surrender. Put your trust in the Lord.
