Blind Trust

My latest post, “Blind Trust” was inspired by a Facebook video titled “Do you trust Him? #GirlsGoneGod”, which was shared by my gorgeous Cell Group Leader on my Cell Group’s WhatsApp group chat. 

The video really made an impression on me and brought me to tears as it seemed to express how I feel about the faith walk, as well as mirrored some of the uncertainties, fears and triumphs I experience as I navigate the challenges I experience on the journey of life . 

My Amazing Cell Group 

I have the best cell group in the world  – it is the Lee Cell Group of New Wine Church. 

Members of my Cell Group are really kind and have helped me through some really difficult times in my life (including the Covid pandemic) –  loving me, encouraging me, praying for and with me, and just being there for me always…  

In case you are wondering what I mean by Cell Group, I would define it as a group of Christians – usually a smaller group of people who are part of a church – who meet regularly to share experiences, study the word of God and pray in a much more informal setting.  

The Faith Walk 

I would like you to watch the video and hope I don’t give too much of it away.  

In a nutshell, the video was about a preacher who blindfolded a lady and wanted her to follow his instructions in order to complete an assignment he had for her.  

After the lady was blindfolded, the preacher’s first instruction to her was, “I want you to listen to me and do ONLY what I say”.

His next instruction was “Follow me”. 

The video is obviously an analogy of our walk with God. It shows us that we can and should follow a God we cannot see.

Following a God we cannot see 

Why would we follow a God we cannot see? Because we trust Him and have faith in His abilities.

…for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name. Psalm 138:2b New Living Translation

He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD. Psalm 112:7 King James Bible

For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 (New King James Version)

How do we follow a God we cannot see? The preacher said we do this by listening and waiting for His instructions so that we can hear what He wants us to have. 

I haven’t always done only what the Lord says to do. Sometimes I follow other voices and go astray. 

How we can we get better at hearing and following God’s intructions when we are not even sure where we are headed? I guess like most things in life, it’s by practice. The more we hear and listen to God’s voice, the better we will get at recognising it.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27 New International Version

But why Lord?! Why? 

Did the lady and the preacher have to go to through all the trouble they did in the video? I guess the answer is yes – at least from the Preacher’s point of view, because he was setting the stage to help explain a message he wanted to share.   

To be honest, sometimes I feel like God takes me on journeys that are longer and more complicated than they need to be. I do not always understand God or the journeys or processes He takes me through.  

However, I am learning to trust God and pray that I find the courage to keep trusting Him.

How great are God’s riches! How deep are his wisdom and knowledge! Who can explain his decisions? Who can understand his ways? Romans 11:33 Good News Translation

Some message in the mess? 

In some bits of the video, a lot of things were lined up to try to mess up the experience for the lady. 

Just like in the video, sometimes things in my life get really messy. I assume things get messy in your life from time to time too.  

But I have heard people say something along the lines “there is always a message in the mess”. 

Hopefully we are able to know and understand the message within some of the mess that we may have to go through in life.

I have also heard people say that “God is more interested in who we become, than what we become.”

My prayer is that as we wade through some of the mess we have to go through in life, God will help us to hear His voice and learn whatever lessons He needs us to learn so that we can come out better and stronger on the other side. 

Obstacles on the way 

In the video, there were obstacles placed in the way of the lady. However, she still managed to walk over them and not stumble because she listened for the preacher’s voice, and he managed to give her really good instructions that kept her from falling and failing the assignment. 

Everyone who trusts the LORD is like Mount Zion that cannot be shaken and will stand forever. Psalm 125:1 Contemporary English Version

God, our Teacher and Guide, who gives us assignments, is very good at giving proper instructions.  

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3: 5 – 6 New Living Translation

Sometimes we find His instructions in the Bible, sometimes He sends people e.g. a coach, mentor, preachers, authors, speakers, friends, parents, siblings, allies, colleagues…to help us by speaking through them.  

Other times we have to listen for God’s voice on our own and hope that somehow – perhaps through an inner conviction in our spirit in quiet moments, or in a dream or through a situation we watch or encounter – He is able to get through to us.  

Unknown Dangers  

The lady in the video did not see the obstacles that were placed in her way because she was blindfolded the whole time.  

In life, there certainly have been numerous times that God has delivered us from dangers we did not know about. 

The devil comes to put obstacles in our path. He comes to put blockers in our way to try to trip us up or stop us in our tracks, so that we are not able to complete our God given assignments or arrive at the beauitiful future God has for us. 

Some of the obstacles the Devil placed on our way could have made us fail terribly and some of them could have completely taken us out. 

Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14 World English Bible

Many hardships and perplexing circumstances confront the righteous, But the LORD rescues him from them all. Psalm 34:19 Amplified Bible

Falling and Rising 

In the video, the obstacles were placed at different points of the lady’s journey. 

This made me remember that the Devil is relentless. He will always try to set traps for us or trip us up. He hates us so much he never stops trying to make sure we fail. 

I will make you and the woman hate each other; her offspring and yours will always be enemies. Her offspring will crush your head, and you will bite her offspring’s heel.” Genesis 3:15 Good News Translation

If the Devil’s plans did not work the last time, he does not give up, but keeps trying. 

Sometimes we will fall into the traps of the enemy and make mistakes. Other times we may be so injured that we feel like we can never rise again to continue our journey.

For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again; but the wicked are overthrown by calamity. Proverbs 24:16 World English Bible

I have had moments in my life when I made mistakes I thought I could never recover from. There are also moments when I have done really silly things that have set me back a really long time.  

Just like the Devil never gives up but keeps trying to trip us up, we have to keep trying to complete the assignments God gave us. We have to keep working on the dreams God placed in our hearts. 

Keep moving! Keep going! Keep trusting! Keep believing! Keep listening (for God’s voice)! Keep obeying (even when it doesn’t make sense)!

As long as you have breath, keep trusting God and asking for strength as you take the next step.  

God uses everything 

One part of the video really got me. 

At some point there was a bin which was supposed to be a stumbling block for the lady but as she followed the preacher’s instructions, she ended up being able to sit on the bin instead of stumbling. 

The preacher then pointed out that God will “set things up” when we move and follow God’s instructions. 

My pastor, David Adabale, always says ‘God uses everything – the good and the bad.’

As we trust God and continue to follow His instructions, He will use even the bad stuff to get us to our destination.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 New Living Translation

The voices of confusion 

The Devil is the father of lies and he will always do his best to confuse and distract us. 

At some point in the video, there were a lot of voices trying to trip up the lady but thankfully she managed to recognise the right voice – the voice of the preacher. 

Even though there were multiple voices speaking all at once – simultaneously – the lady was so brilliant that she managed to recognise the voice of the preacher and stick with ONLY his instruction.  

I pray that we will always recognise the voice of God even when there is a lot of noise around us.   

However the truth of the matter is that like the lady in the video, it can seem like we are blindfolded as we walk with God through the journey of life. Because we cannot physically see God or always be sure of His instructions, sometimes we will make mistakes. 

It may set us back when we make a mistake – as a result of listening to the wrong voices and getting derailed from the path God set for us. The great thing is we can try again because God is always speaking and He will keep instructing us. Hopefully at some point, we will hear His voice again and get back on track. 

A beautiful throne – the place of beauty 

After the lady in the video reached what seeemed to be the lovely end of her journey, some people tried to distract her and persuade her to leave her beautiful destination.

The Devil never gives up on sabotaging us. He will always try to sabotage us, even when we get to our throne – the place of beauty that God prepared for us. He may try to dethrone us or make us so distracted we stray away from our throne.  

However hard we may fall or get distracted, we will never lose our crown.  

God is always waiting for us and our place is always secure. 

For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. Romans 11:29 New Living Translation

Prominence at a cost 

“Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.”  

There are a lot of challenges that come with being at the throne.  

“The higher you go the harder it becomes.” 

When you get to the place of beauty and prominence, not every one will like you. Some people may feel you don’t deserve your throne and try to sabotage you. 

There may be huge demands for your time and attention, and some people may have unrealistic expectations of you.  

Everyone will be watching and some people would just want you to fail. 

But as long as you continue to listen to the voice of God, He will continue to help you make the right decisions.  

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21 New International Version

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Psalm 32:8 New International Version

God will lead us as we trust Him

My prayer today is that we find the courage to trust God at all times – even when we don’t understand His plan or know where He is taking us.  

I pray that we will always hear and recognise God’s voice, and that we will find the courage to obey Him at all times.  

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. Isaiah 43:2 New Living Translation

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! Psalm 46:10 New King James Version

A Walk on Water Moment with Stella Onogoro

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