Responding Right (1)

The account of the instructions of God to Jeremiah gives us a clue to what God expects of us in life. In His words to the prophet at the time of his call, the Lord said to him, "Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them" (Jer 1:17 NIV). These words reveal to us how much God hates it when we second-rate Him, thereby rating our fears higher than our trust in Him. In other words, He is saying 'if you won't trust me, then why don't I just give you what you trust is coming your way'. If despite all God has said concerning how He cares about us, and will save us, we still neglect Him by exalting our fears more, we literally tell Him He doesn't have the power we need right now- and that mindset, my friend, disgusts Him. God seeks a people that would look straight into the eyes of the dreadliest problem and yet still choose to trust His words above the tension it conveys. He seeks those who would humble themselves before Him, trembling at His word only and not to circumstances (See Isa 66:2). He seeks true believers that stand by His word...and His words alone.
Secondly, having emotions and feelings are the most beautiful things in the world. In fact, it's the difference between the living and the dead. However, in the business of trusting God, emotions are the last things you want to rely on. Emotions bend to the events that play out, such that if something bad happens, it won't care about what God said, but naturally responds as the situation commands. But faith is different. Faith sees past the events into what God has to say about that condition. And that's exactly the virtue God's expecting from us. Don't get it wrong. God sees how you feel, He also felt it but He never gave in and so we shouldn't too. Thus, when it's your time to bear the brunt, don't get terrified, because ironically when we do God is restricted from helping us- by our own selves. Why? Fear keeps God out, while faith draws Him in. So, be strong, and stay believing. Be hopeful, and stay expectant. See it as God wants you to and respond accordingly; and eventually by His grace, the words God speaks of you won't be a myth anymore, nor a mere wish, but a living reality as would be seen in you.