Trust Fall

Have you ever played that game as a child? You know, the one where you stand in front of a person with your back to them and fall backward into their arms with the hopes that they will catch you? I think even as an adult I’ve seen organizations use this as a tool for team-building exercises.

The little girl in my life has recently discovered this game at summer camp. She delights in jumping in front of me and screaming, “Trust fall,” and then recklessly leaning backwards, because she unwaveringly trusts that my two arms will be there to catch her.

The thing is….she likes to randomly decide when we will play this game, whether I’m ready to play or not. I could be in the middle of cooking, in the heart of a phone conversation, carrying groceries out of the car, putting away laundry, and with absolutely no warning, she will run into the room, scream, “Trust fall,” and I anxiously drop whatever I am holding to catch this precious baby before she hits the ground.

Sometimes, I hate to admit, I miss the mark. There have been more than a few occasions this summer that the lack of warning, caused her to hit the floor and stare at me from below with big doe eyes exclaiming, “Why didn’t you catch me?” I had to explain to her that the “Trust fall” only works when you give me enough time to get to you and prepare for the fall.

Then I was reminded of our amazing Father who, unlike man, needs no warning, no time to prepare for us to trust Him. He needs no period of time to get in place or get in position. In fact, it is the opposite. It is He who is waiting for US, arms outstretched waiting for US to do the trusting, to have the faith, to “fall” wholeheartedly into Him, knowing that He will ALWAYS be there, in position, ready to catch us. Oh to have the faith of a child, to run recklessly into Him, with the unshakable trust that He will always be there! To have the faith that He is ready to catch us. To have the faith to leap confidently, blindly, fearlessly into His arms with everything we have and everything we are!

If I’m honest, tithing is about the ONLY area where I leap toward Him with reckless abandon. I’ll dive deep into that area with no looking back. The other areas of my faith-- my “trust fall”-- I’m constantly looking over my shoulder asking Him, “Are you there, God? Are you sure, God? If I come toward you, do you PROMISE you’ll catch me, do you PROMISE you won’t forget me?”   As if He isn’t the great, never-sleeping, never-slumbering, never-leave-you, never-forsake-you, God.

I think there’s a reason He asks us to come to Him as children. Her little exercise was a tangible reminder for me to stretch my faith, close my eyes and lean into Him. What about you? Ready to trust today? That thing that you felt was too big for God so you decided you would handle it yourself. How about trusting Him all the more today? That dream that you dare not go after because you’re too old, too much time has passed, the resources aren’t in place.  How about taking it and putting it in God’s faithful hands today? How about trusting Him with it? That unforgiveness you’re walking around with, that tarnished heart that tells you that they don’t deserve forgiveness or that the hurt is too deep for you to ever heal? For my singles, ready to trust God with the desires of your heart? Ready to seek Him BEFORE you seek your next relationship? Ready to, dare I say it, abstain and invite Him into your dating life? Whatever your situation is, trust God with even that today. Your finances, your children, your job, your relationships, your past, your future…..RUN UNTO HIM WITH RECKLESS ABANDON. Trust fall and watch what He will do!