Ready. Set. Grow! Footsteps of Faith for a Life That Flourishes by Heidi St. JohnExemplo

But

“But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, ‘You are my God!’ " Psalm 31:14, NLT

I have always tried to help my kids refrain from using the word but. I’m not talking about the body part here. I’m talking about the conjunction. (That’s my homeschool mom coming out right there.)

But mom . . . you promised!
But I don’t want to go to bed.
But it wasn’t my fault!

As a grown woman, I’ve used this word too . . . especially when I’m wrestling through something with the Lord.

But Lord, it wasn’t supposed to be this way.
But I never got to say goodbye.
But I thought things would work out how I envisioned them.

King David used this word also. Let’s take a look at the context of it from Psalm 31:9-13: “Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes. My body and soul are withering away. I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Sin has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within. I am scorned by all my enemies and despised by my neighbors—even my friends are afraid to come near me. When they see me on the street, they run the other way. I am ignored as if I were dead, as if I were a broken pot. I have heard the many rumors about me, and I am surrounded by terror. My enemies conspire against me, plotting to take my life.”

As I read these words, my heart goes out to David. I too have felt like I might die from grief. I can relate when he says that sin has drained his strength, and I know the pain of feeling rejected by someone who I thought was my friend. All of these things shine a light on David’s emotions when he used the word but. Look at what happens in verse 14: “But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, ‘You are my God!’ ”

David used this word to remind himself that no matter his circumstances, his job was to trust the Lord and to serve Him. Today, as you encounter situations that you may not have planned for, take a lesson from King David, and use this word to remind yourself to keep trusting God, no matter what.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

As I come before You today, I am humbled and reminded of the tribulations that Your servant David faced. Despite his troubles, he turned his heart toward You, affirming his trust in You. This is the declaration, Lord, that I long to replicate in my own life.

Lord, my life is punctuated by many “buts.” I confess that my faith often trembles when life’s waves rise against me, when my heart is weighed down with worries and fears. Like David, Habakkuk, and so many others in Your Word, I desire to make that critical shift and declare: “But I trust in You, O Lord.”

Lord, remind me that the “buts” in my life are not obstacles but stepping stones towards deeper faith and trust in You. Teach me to anchor my hope and trust in You, not in my circumstances. Help me remember that while the grass withers and the flowers fade, Your Word stands forever.

Father, I ask for an unwavering faith, a faith that stays steady despite the storms that may whirl around me. A faith that echoes David’s declaration, “But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, ‘You are my God!’ ”

Lord, I hand over my “buts” to You. I trust You with all my heart, confident that Your promises are true and that Your faithfulness lasts forever.

In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.