I love a good story. Whether it is a from a book or a show, I tend to focus on the plot and character building. One liners always catch my attention. Knowing how much I loved the arts in high school and chose theatre as my college minor, this should not be a surprise.

Often God ‘speaks my language’ by bringing different one liners to my mind. In the last couple of months, one particular line keeps reverberating in my mind. It’s a line used in two scenes from Aladdin when he offers his hand to Princess Jasmine and asks, “Do you trust me?” The pictures of the offered hand alternate in my mind from both the animated and real versions of the movie as I realize that God is using these pictures as a metaphor to me. And He is waiting for my response.

“Do you trust Me?”

As I contemplate that question, I often sit numbly thinking over the spiraling events that have happened in the last six months. No matter what the recent test results come back saying, that Voice is still whispering, “Do you trust Me?”

No matter what life changes lie ahead……

“Do you trust Me?”

Whether the medical field can help or not…..

“Do you trust Me?”

Whether He chooses to step in and heal or not….

Whether I see all my dreams and promises fulfilled or not…..will I choose to reach out my hand and place it in His…..in confidence or in confusion…..and allow Him to guide me into the storm? Do I trust Him to that degree?

Too often in our walk with God we focus on the ‘feel good’ stories. We all love a happy ending where everyone walks off together into a perfect sunset. But that is not what always happens in real life – not even for those of us who believe in Christ. We see this even throughout scripture. Job lost everything he owned. Jacob lost his beloved Rachel in childbirth. Even after repenting of his sin and taking time to fast and pray, David lost that newborn child. Most of the disciples of Christ, although they gave their lives to share the gospel, became martyrs. Steven was stoned.

It is common for us to run through the list of questions when things happen. Or to start questioning the life of others when we see them walking through fiery trials. In our minds we start going through our own mental checklist for ourselves. It is a list we all know too well:

• Is there sin in my life?
• Am I lacking faith?
• Is there something more He is wanting from me?

Yet the examples in scripture show us a different perspective. As Hebrews 12 states, there is a ‘great cloud of witnesses’ that have gone before us. The previous chapter gives that list of those we consider in the ‘Great Hall of Faith’. Able, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and so many more. And what of them? They all had in common faith and promises. Some promises were unfulfilled.

“All these people died having faith. They didn’t receive the things that God had promised them, but they saw these things coming in the distant future and rejoiced. They acknowledged that they were living as strangers with no permanent home on earth.” Hebrews 11:13

Not having received the promises. Yet they had unwavering faith and trust in the fact that at some point in time and in His way, He would fulfill every promise made.

Knowing that, I contemplate again where I stand. Will my response be the same no matter if I hear great news that this is just a complicated infection or if I hear that we are dealing with an incurable issue? I am still hearing that one simple question, “Do you trust Me?”

My answer is like Peter’s in John 6 – where else would I go? Whether I see my promises here on earth or I die seeing those promises off in the future, the truth still stands – there is no other place I would rather be than in His arms during the trials of life. Only He gives eternal life. Only He can give strength to endure the storm.

I hear that whispered Voice again, “Do you trust Me?” This time I see my hand in His as I say, YES!!! I trust Him with my life….and my husband’s.