It’s exceptionally rainy here in East Texas, and I just wanted to come before you and share some encouragement, some scriptures, and some thoughts. My goal with this blog is to help you shift your mindset — because so much of our struggle and lack of victory is rooted in a faulty mindset.
If you can learn how to shift your mindset to what God wants you to think, you can absolutely change your life. Sometimes we’re not tracking with God. We’re not learning the things He wants us to learn. And we end up spending 40 years in the wilderness trying to figure it out.
If You’re Tired of Going in Circles
If you’re tired of going around in circles in the wilderness, raise your hand. There’s nothing more horrible than staying in a season way past what God intended. Sometimes it’s because we didn’t learn the lesson — to rest, to be thankful, to trust Him, to have faith. But they didn’t know Him.
“If we really knew Him and we trusted Him… we could take that season that, yes, is not fun… and not drag it out forever.”
Trust vs. Suspicion
Suspicion and anxiety go hand in hand. And when that becomes a pattern in your life — when you’re suspicious all the time — it becomes a situation where you can’t move forward with God.
Because why would you be suspicious of God? Well… you don’t know Him.
“If you really knew Him, you would know He’s trustworthy.”
There are a ton of scriptures that back up His trustworthiness. but is has to be experiential-you have to have your own experiences with Him as well.
A Tree Planted by the Water
During my quiet time with my husband, I saw a tree rooted and grounded by the water — it never withered and it kept producing fruit. That led me to:
“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They will be like a tree planted by the water… its leaves remain green… it is not anxious in the year of drought.” – Jeremiah 17:7-8
Everything around you can be dysregulated – heat, drought, fire, wind- but if you’re rooted in trust, you’re never in lack. Why? Because your life is sustained by the Source.
“Trust is initiating the whole cycle… it’s the bedrock of faith.”
Real Talk: Disappointment and Immaturity relating to trust issues
Has God ever disappointed you? I can relate. I thought I was called to be a huge Christian music artist. But after getting released from a label and watching that dream die, I was super suspicious of God.
“I thought You gave me that dream… now I don’t know if I can trust You.”
But it was probably my immaturity that caused a lot of that. we often put our own spin on what God tells us. And we end up idolizing the dream instead of trusting the one gave it. But instead, Jesus has a different way to accomplish the things He puts in our hearts:
“My yoke is easy, my burden is light… When you start to work with Me, it’s not going to be a super heavy, burdened-down thing.”
You’re Not Alone
Think about Joseph. He had dreams of being exalted, but ended up in a pit, then in prison. It probably didn’t match what he thought God had said.
“Maybe I misunderstood. But that doesn’t change the fact that He’s good.”
Even in these moments of disappointment… you have to know that if you’re in a season that’s not beautiful, He’s going to make it beautiful in the end.
He makes everything beautiful in its time. – Ecclesiastes 3
Scripture That Grounds Us:
– Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart… and He will make your path straight.”
– Psalm 9:10 – “Those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.”
– Malachi 3:6 – “For I, the Lord, do not change.”
– 1 Corinthians 1:9 – “God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
He Is Life
He is the vine. We’re the branches. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. He doesn’t just give life – He is life. And if you stay connected to Him, you’ll bear fruit. He is trustworthy.
“He’s not a man that He should lie.”
So if He says, ” I love you, I want what’s best for you, I have a plan for you…” then He can’t change His mind. He’s other than.
“Run into His arms and celebrate His trustworthiness today. Write down all the times He’s been faithful to you. Your mindset will shift. You’ll realize: I really can trust Him.”
“I don’t have to be suspicious of Him. He’s not a man. He can’t lie.”
Want more encouragement? Visit shanastrange.net to sign up for my newsletter, learn about upcoming events and retreats, and stay connected.
You can also get more about this topic by visiting the podcast episode : https://episodes.castos.com/5e0e50e03fe603-48420895/2063509/c1e-44rxu1415dijg1g3-7z315gx1ag5w-mwp7m9.mp3
