Calm Assurance

I do not think I actually know anyone who has been brave enough or crazy enough to bungee jump, but I can just imagine what it would feel like being on the other end of that piece of elastic. I know, just before I jumped, I would be shaking and have that nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach that I sometimes get when I decide to ride a roller coaster or something equally inane. I would probably be breathing pretty shallow and thinking in short simple sentences like “Jesus, help me.” I will never forget going to Six Flags with Will and Andy. Will and I rode this ride that dropped us about 20 stories in two seconds. As we sat waiting to drop, Will was so scared that all he could do was pray over and over “Jesus, help me.” I think he also promised he would never do this again if He would safely remove him from the ride. I am afraid that I was not very supportive since I was laughing uproariously. I know in my life, depending on Jesus, is sometimes like bungee jumping or a thrill ride. I feel breathless and shaky with fear, but I’ve realized that I really do not have any other options. I just wish I could trust with calm assurance and faith, because I never breathe easy until the trial is past. I know he has always provided for me, but every time I stand at the precipice, about to jump, my heart feels faint and my legs feel weak.

I’ve decided that the secret to calm assurance is understanding His love for me. In Psalms 103 it speaks of His great love for us, and tells us in verse 10 that “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” It also says in verse 5 that he “satisfies your desires with good things.” We also know that he loved us so much that he died for us, and we can also rest in the knowledge that His love does not abandon in the time of need for he said "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6). I would rather my life be more like the Log Flume ride which is calm, relaxing, with a little bit of excitment thrown in, but it is normally more like the Roaring Tornoado. Sometimes I just have to stop and tell myself "Jesus loves you and he has always been faithful to provide--so just breathe!"