Why Try: Why Do I Have Such a Hard Time Trusting God?

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. Romans 7:15

Thanks be to God he gives us victory through Christ Jesus our Lord! Romans 7:25

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

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The key to living a life that is pleasing to God is not found in trying harder.

The key to living a life that is pleasing to God is found in surrendering your will to His will.

Try harder to not worry.

Try harder to relax.

Try harder to go to sleep.

Try harder to stop cussing or drinking.

“The Twelve Steps followed by recovery groups lay out a way of life that is the single greatest path to freedom for addicts the world has ever known. But at the core of the steps lies a great paradox: In which of the twelve steps does it say, ‘Now try really hard not to drink’? Amazingly enough, the most powerful tool against the most powerful addiction in the world never asks people to decide to stop doing what is destroying their lives. Instead of mobilizing the will, its followers surrender their will. Try to overcome the problem by your will, and it will beat you. Surrender your will, and sobriety becomes possible. Surrender, which we think means defeat, turns out to be the only way to victory. This is not just the case with alcohol. It is also true with other addictions, with habits, with brokenness — and with sin in general. – John Ortberg

Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Romans 8:14–17

1. Our God is a loving father and not a controlling father.

You did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear. Romans 8:15

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men. Isaiah 53:2–3

2. God is a close father.

For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

You have collected all my tears in your bottle. Psalm 56:8

3. God is an encourager and not a discourager.

The spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Romans 8:16

If we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. Romans 8:17