My frequent travels to LA, the metropolis of Houston or the
Canadian countryside are made possible with the aid of Google Maps and the “show
traffic” option. Finding my way around traffic or through shortcuts is made so
much easier with vehicles that have GPS installed. I have become dependent on
these assistive devices in unfamiliar situations as well as familiar.
I am confident I can get around any obstacle that may come
my way: accident, traffic jam or construction zone. Trusting the familiar takes
over most of my daily decisions and activities, not just my driving. I often rely
on my personal knowledge and experience, rather than God’s leading.
We have a desire and resolve to trust God for all things, which
we often exercise in times of new experiences. But learning to rely on Him in
situations that are familiar is often our biggest challenge.
Recently our household revisited our plan for financial
stewardship for 2014. We fell into our familiar pattern of looking over our
past support and talking through increases or changes. It took some additional,
intentional conversation to consider how we would trust God for the unknowns
along the way. It’s easier to apply the 10% rule and tithe to favorite
organizations than it is to determine a point of impact and sacrifice in our
stewardship plan, agreeing to trust God for all the unknowns that will come in
2014.
When we know the way, we behave in a familiar way. But when
a new season of life or dramatic change comes to our journey, it seems more
compelling—desirable even—to reassess and consider if this is an opportunity
for trusting God for what’s ahead.
Can I be resolute for trusting God in all the familiar
spaces and not just the new situations? Can I trust God’s abundance when I
think I know the way already?
