Thursday, December 12, 2013

Bridges, 2008, Chapter 1 "Can You Trust God?"

Bridges, Jerry. Trusting God Even when Life Hurts. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008

Chapter 1 “Can You Trust God?” pp. 13-21

We are surrounded by large and small trials as long as we live on earth. Most of the trials we face are relatively small. But they, like big trials, make our life difficult. Bridges asks the question, “Can you trust God?” He puts the emphasis on the word “God” and also on the word “you.” Are we convinced that God is trustworthy? Does our attitude penetrate our troubles to make a difference in our life even when we don’t understand the trials we endure?

Bridges points out three characteristics of God which will help us trust Him in all situations.
 1) God is sovereign.
 2) God is wise
 3) God is loving

In our suffering we can lost sight of God’s attributes. Yet even Jesus (John 19:10-11) told Pilate that the power to arrest and kill came from God. Jesus’ own suffering on our behalf accomplishes the sovereign, wise, and loving care of God for the world. Though we are not wise to know all God’s plan, we can trust God’s wisdom.

We learn to trust God as we know him through Jesus, God the Son, who has given himself for us, for our forgiveness.

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