Mountaintop Musings: Trust Not to Worry

I am sitting here watching the sun come up. It is a beautiful morning. The snow is gone, grass is green, bluebirds are around, and early summer has arrived in the mountains. I often do not take the time to enjoy this part of the day during early summer as I am busy preparing for or having a Vacation Bible School or camp. The stress and pressure of summer ministry is real and challenging. I know that over the years I have got better at trusting God with these efforts. Because this is His show, His work, and His time to reach the hearts of young people for Jesus. I really am sinning when I fret and worry about things, because I know God will take care of it. I however do have to be diligent in my part. Even in God’s Kingdom things usually do not happen unless people get involved.

That is not to say God is not in control and He will accomplish His goals without the help of Dave Carroll, I have no doubt about that. But I have to do my part. So I am trying to enjoy this time of year more this year than I have in the past. I could worry about my children and that some are not accomplishing some of the goal I had for them. Ha, whose life are they living I ask myself? It is their life and they have to figure some things out for themselves, just like I did, and just like you have or are doing.

So even after being a Christian for 48 years, and a full-time missionary for over 17 years, I continue to learn to trust God. Trust Him with my children. Trust Him with my bills, our cars, and with the details of each day. I have a note that is in the front of my Bible. It is one I wrote there maybe 21 years ago. I do not remember the message, the context or even who said it, but his name was Dr. Draper. He said, “A Christian is a man/woman/young person who has the life of God in him, through the Holy Spirit.” The he said, “A fishes element is water, what is your (my) element?” In other words an essential part of being a born-again Christian is to have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling in you. That is Biblical; read 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20; Ephesians 1: 13-14 and Acts 1:8 for three of many verses that state that fact. So with that in mind is my “element” for the day consisting of worry, bitterness, fear, deceit, anger, etc. Or is it the love, joy, peace patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control that are the fruit of God’s Spirit working in and through me?

I pray that as you start this summer you will do it with a worry-free and peaceful mind set. I pray you will do it knowing that Jesus is your personal Savior. If He is not part of your life I encourage to be like the Berean church in the book of acts, search the scriptures to see if what I am sharing is really in there and find out for yourself. Too many people rely on the media, their Grandparents and their friends for Biblical knowledge and information. I say go to the Source and read it for yourself.

One last thought about not worrying…We had our annual Bible camp the last week of June. I can really fret and worry about help, teachers, the number of campers, weather, etc. But this year I did pretty good about leaving it in God’s hands. Not perfect mind you! But the neat thing is we had 27 campers this year! First time in five years we had over 20! I have prayed and prayed for that, and we get 27! If that was not good enough of a blessing, God worked in the hearts of 10 of those young people and they prayed to ask Jesus Christ to become their Lord and Savior! That was an amazing thing we have not seen in all our years of ministry…to have such a response to the Gospel! How about you? Is Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior? He wants to be, invite Him in today! Until next time, thanks for reading this column and call me anytime!

(Dave & Lisa Carroll are area missionaries with Infaith, America’s oldest Christian home mission agency.

You can contact Dave at 406.459.8935 or [email protected].)