So I just put up this post on trusting God in the midst of our goofy car situation right now. Commenter number 1 thinks what I said is a cop-out.
All I can think to say right now is that I’m sorry he thinks so. I don’t believe I ever said having faith is easy. But I do love trusting God to care for us because get this: I know this is a situation out of our control.
Maybe that’s a cop-out for him. For me? Relief. How about you?
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In teaching the fourth through sixth grade girls Sunday school class at my church, I use the Desiring God curriculum, How Majestic Is Your Name, which details the many names of God. Last Sunday we studied Jehovah-Jireh: “The Lord Will Provide.”
As the girls and I were going through the lesson, I had the opportunity to share with them how I was planning to trust God with our future transportation needs. Our van was having some issues, but at that point on Sunday it was still running. I told the girls that I knew I would have to eventually trust God with the van, but what I didn’t know is that the next day our van would break down for good.
Hebrews 11:1, of course, reminds us, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what do not see.” Well, we’re living in the tension between faith and certainty right now. Do we sit tight and see how God provides? Do we crunch numbers and see what kind of monthly payment we can afford? If we do the latter, does it negate the former? Is it possible to really trust at the same time you are scrambling to find the solution yourself?
In the past, my mistake is usually that when I trust God to provide, I place parameters on his provision. For instance, in this scenario, I think God’s provision should look like a brand new car in the driveway tomorrow. I realize, however, He has provided for us already by allowing us to test-drive a car from Chevy for the past month and having our pastor offer us his family’s second minivan for the weekend. In addition, when we go to my husband’s family’s farm next week for Thanksgiving, we’ll bring home his parents’ van as a loaner for a few weeks.
At the same time, we will begin looking for replacement options. We’ll sweat a little over it, but we won’t worry. Because the God who can give us a new Chevy for a month, a loaned van for the weekend, and another one for as long as we need it will continue to provide for our needs.
I have faith in that certainty.
Half-Pint House 
What an annoying comment! It’s not as though you are seriously waiting for a new van to drive up and rescue you! A person can have faith and also be practical. The two are not mutually exclusive.
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I liked your post – and definitely agree. During med school I often had a similar perspective. I knew God was sovereign over everything – my grades, where I would match, the patients I would see. I did my best (i.e. – studied to the best of my ability but did not over stress) and trusted God to be in charge of the rest. on this side of it all, I can see just how good he was to me in everything. So yes – no matter what happens, we win. God always has us just where we need to be.
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Are the people who comment on World actually believers?
Regardless, have you called around looking for used minivans? That’s one of the best Dave Ramsey nuggets I remember — driving a new car off the lot devalues it by 25 percent, so try and find a used car that’s only two or three years old.
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HOW IN THE WORLD do you deal with the comments on worldmag?? I just read them and got angry FOR you. You’ve got security where I am not sure I do!
Oooh – and God just gave us a couch – out of nowhere – in the wildest way. I’m with you. He WILL provide and the ride is part of the . . . fun?
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Yeah, the comment about the user’s manual and routine maintenance got under my skin for you. Obnoxious. And, I know the Lord will provide, too. He already has in so many great ways in this situation, as you have pointed out.
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Yeah, that’s the main reason I don’t read the World Magazine blog regularly. (Sorry Megan, I won’t do it, even for you.)
That, and the sense that I get that so many of the readers have put their faith in U.S. politics, not in Christ.
By the way: that “the Bible is your owner’s manual for life” hermeneutic? I’ve never met someone who espouses it that isn’t a legalist whose understanding of the Gospel is “try harder”. So that suggests to me what their understanding of faith is, too– which may or may not put their comments in a different context.
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