Childlike Trust

   My son is deathly afraid of thunder!!!  During a storm last night, I heard a piercing scream and rushed upstairs to find Christian trembling from head to toe, frozen in terror, with tears streaming down his face.  I realized he'd just been startled by a loud clap of thunder that most definitely, in his little mind, meant the end of his existence!  I held him close until his trembling stopped, and then told him that thunder could not hurt him.  It was simply a loud noise in the sky.  He listened, but I could tell he didn't really believe me.  I told him that he needed to trust God.  I quoted the verse, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee." to him several times and told him that I'd learned that verse when I was real little and it helped me when I was afraid.  He listened intently, but I could tell his mind was still focused on the crashing thunder outside.
   The storm slowed and the thunder stopped.  I tucked Christian into his bed, and he went right to sleep.  Later that night, as I laid in bed, I could hear another storm approaching.  As the thunder got louder and the storm got closer, I knew it wouldn't be long before the screaming started again.  A few minutes later, Andy went upstairs and got Christian and laid him under the blankets between us.  Every few seconds, by the light of the flashing lightning, I could see his wide eyes as he tucked the blanket close under his chin.  But, within just a couple minutes, despite the thunder crashing outside, and the brilliant flashes of lightning, he fell fast asleep.  Nothing could get him now!  According to him, he was in the safest place on earth.  All he had to do was reach out a little hand and he could touch his father.  Yes, he was safe. 
   As I watched him sleep so peacefully amid his most dreaded fear, I thought about my own trust in my Heavenly Father.  How often do we fret and worry about things that are completely beyond our control?  As silly as crying and worrying over thunder may seem, we do the same thing in other ways.  If we could learn to trust God like a child trusts his earthly father, what true peace and joy we can experience!  If we can learn to rest in the Lord and completely trust Him with every fear and worry, sorrow or temptation that comes our way, how truly happy we will be!  Trust is a hard thing to learn.  Isn't if funny though how at one time, as a child, we had more faith in that area than we do as an adult who ought to know better??  I learned at one point in my life that there are some things that are completely out of my control.  I had a choice to make.  I could either fight it tooth and nail, trying to fix the problem in my own strength.  Or I could simply give the situation to God and let Him take care of it in His own way, His own time.  That was probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do...just let go and TRUST God.  Some things are beyond our control, we can't do a thing about it anyway.  So why NOT let go?  That step is a very hard one to take.  To completely let go and rest in Him.  I still fail at this many times and try to accomplish things in my own strength.  But even if we CAN "fix" a situation, why not go ahead and give it to God first, and let him guide us through it in His own way instead of trying to figure it out for ourselves.  Trusting His Will and His Way in His Timing can only result in ultimate blessings, sweet peace, and fulfilling joy!  Trust Him!  With childlike faith!