John

This is the Rock House Center podcast and I'm John Murphy.

Beth

And I'm Beth Murphy and our podcast today is about getting beyond belief to peace.

John

And it's so important to understand that belief means much more than just accepting truth.

More than just historical assent to the reality of who Jesus is as the risen son of God.

Beth

That, of course, is foundational to our belief and our salvation.

But as many of you know that at Rock House Center we like the amplified classic translation of the Bible and that gives you a fuller definition in English of what some single Greek words mean.

So the word belief in Greek means all these things.

In English it means to trust in rely on.

Depend on cling to take yourself out of your own.

Keeping rest the entirety of your personality on him.

All right, that's a huge definition.

It's way beyond just the intellectual agreement of who Jesus is, that he's the risen son of God, which of course is a huge step.

But then there's this whole next thing of relying on him.

Depending on him in your entire being, and so every client.

Who comes to Rock House Center is missing some of that.

Maybe a lot of that and therefore have a tremendous loss of peace.

And what we know is that all of that suffering comes from the missing trust, the depth, the depth of trust in God.

John

Trust is really the bridge that takes us from belief to peace.

John

Obviously, in the very first aspect of this relationship with the Lord, we are trusting in him for salvation, but in most cases that's really just where it stops.

John

The way in which we have peace across the full landscape of our lives is going to have to do with trust and trusting God for the rest of our life, not just the aspect of our life that has to do with salvation.

John

One of the powerful aspects of trust is that an instant of trusting something happens within us, and what comes is we have greater and greater levels of peace to the extent that we can trust, we have assurance about things that are unknown and can't be known as long as we are able to move ourselves into some place of peace about or some place.

John

Trust about the situation and that gives us peace.

John

It's almost an instantaneous kind of switch.

John

It's the way God has made us.

John

I believe, so that we.

John

We would be inclined to have peace through trusting him.

John

Are we being able to have peace through trusting him?

Beth

So it's kind of like it's the bridge between head belief and heart belief, right?

John

And a great example is a story I like to tell, and it's a made up example, but I think it really helps people understand how critical trust is to peace.

John

And how we are made in such a way that trust is required for peace.

John

And so the situation is, let's just say there's a woman she has seven children.

John

She doesn't have a husband.

John

She's living really right at the end of her means.

John

Let's say it's Friday and next Thursday there is a rent check do she doesn't have the money for her.

John

She's very distraught, so she goes to whatever agency that she picks and tells her story and appeals.

John

To the person and authority.

John

Therefore, you know, half an hour or so tearfully tells her story.

John

The person listens very pale.

John

Says to wait here leaves the room and comes back, and then when the person returns they say tell her that we decided that not only we're going to cover your rent check, but we're going to cover all the expenses necessary to get all of these children of yours at least through high school.

John

And the question really comes at that point.

John

What is her response?

John

Is a response immediately?

John

The level of peace just washes over her.

John

Or is it that she doesn't have any peace yet?

John

Well, I think most people would say if someone came in and told him that that it would impact their level of assurance about the situation.

John

Now what we see here, just if you just think about this situation and you look at the reactions if she decides to choose to trust the person who has spoken.

John

And said that that rent check will be there by Thursday and more to come at the moment she chooses to trust him is the moment she has peace.

John

If she chooses not to trust him, she has no peace.

John

So for her to have peace, she has to believe in the person that what he has said is true and that it's going to happen well.

John

It's also interesting if she then says, well, I'm going to wait until Thursday until I get the check.

John

So she has no peace all the way till Thursday.

John

The check arrives and then the question is.

John

But then does she believe them because at that point does she then say OK all the other checks are now coming forever?

John

Well, the interesting thing is is that she could actually receive every check all the way to the last child is through high school.

John

The agency could be completely trust.

John

Never, never at any time miss a check, but if she doesn't choose to believe at some point and trust at some point to go beyond belief but into trust at some point, then she will never have peace or assurance about her financial situation through that entire time frame.

John

No matter how trustworthy the agency actually.

John

Demonstrates themselves to be, and that's a great example of how critical it is that we have to trust in something when we're in a situation.

John

Certainly when things are bigger than us, we have to trust to get peace.

John

That's the way God has made us.

Beth

You could look at it also in your own life and think, thinking about when you're planning on traveling and you're packing.

Beth

Do you try to anticipate every single thing that you're going to do on the trip and pack for that plus pack for every eventuality that you can't really predict, but might happen all the mites and then add onto that all the unknowns that are way out there unlikely to have?

Beth

Moving into trying to predict the future really and add on unknowns.

Beth

Basically trying to create our own peace by planning for all these eventualities and in the case of traveling literally packing for them.

Beth

And so another way to look at it would be taking and planning what you obviously need.

Beth

And then being able to trust that if something else comes up or there's some change in plans or added thing that you'll be able to figure out or get access to.

Beth

What you didn't know or and didn't pack for, and the analogy there is just helpful because you can think literally in terms of all the bags.

Beth

You don't need to pack all the the baggage.

Beth

You don't need to carry the burden.

Beth

You don't need to have.

Beth

If you are able to trust.

John

Yeah, there's another interesting case that's fairly common.

John

I've heard from different counselors here at Rock House, the situation when someone says that the way they gain peace is that when a question comes up, our challenge comes up.

John

They think through all the possible scenarios of how that might go and from their perspective if they could live through our survive or had an answer.

John

For everything they could.

John

Think of they would either agree to it or be able to come to a place of peace for the first time.

John

So again, it's all built on.

John

There's no trust there.

John

They're trying to gain peace in their own strength through processing and trying to imagine every possible outcome.

John

And of course, the reality of it is is that they'll never think of everything.

John

So even though that's a theoretical perspective.

John

Our process, it actually never works because no one can think of everything and everyone knows that somewhere in the back of their mind who's trying to gain peace with that kind of an approach is that there's going to be there are going to be things which they can't.

John

Imagined so they never actually gain the peace that they sort of kid themselves into thinking that's possible through that approach.

Beth

You can think of that also just really getting a feel for the emotions associated with it because.

Beth

Just what it feels like to so many people.

Beth

And of course this is when they arrive at Rock House.

Beth

This is before they go through the process and they change so profoundly that they're really.

Beth

Pretty excited about looking back on how they were when they came, but when they come talking about the level of catastrophizing, basically the level of trying to.

Beth

Figure out the unknowns which are unknowable.

Beth

Trying to control the things that can't be known and cannot be controlled, and the anxiety that goes with that is enormous anxiety, slash, depression because there's an awareness that it can't be done.

Beth

And all of that is, it's just this enormous burden that people.

Beth

Are carrying on their shoulders understandably, totally legitimately, their life story got them there.

Beth

We understand why it got them there, but we also rejoice when they come out of that on the other side.

John

Yeah, a lot of that depression is stirred up by how much they're processing and trying to calculate in their head all those angles.

John

And it basically starts shutting down the emotions and it's amazing.

John

People will just kind of just almost disappear in front of your eyes and fall asleep.

John

They get caught up in this loop of trying to figure out all the possible angles.

John

Do they have and do they have?

Beth

Answer Yes, that itself becomes a dependency.

Beth

That we learn to depend on as our own processing as opposed to God.

Beth

And like you said, when I phrase the endless loop, it is an endless loop.

Beth

I can speak to that.

Beth

I used to live in that and it is absolutely exhausting.

Beth

The Christian culture is inclined to believe that God is who he says he.

Beth

Is but then pray and ask him to do the things that are our strategy satisfy our needs.

Beth

The way we've decided he needs to satisfy our needs.

Beth

We're saying and that there's a part of us believing in his promises and his character, who he says he is, how he comes through for us, his trustworthiness that.

Beth

He loves us more than we could dare to ask or imagine all the things about him.

Beth

Yet we've early on gotten on a track of making our life work through control and through our own strategies and out without really realizing it.

Beth

We spent a lot of time praying to get God power to get our will done because we decide our will and our strategy and to some extent.

Beth

Sort of part.

Beth

Got over here on the side as one client of mine said when she realized he.

Beth

So yeah, I think I kind of had God parked over in satellite parking.

Beth

Thought that was a good description.

Beth

It's parked over there on the side and we're making our strategy and then asking him to endorse it and bring it about and make it happen.

Beth

So some things that are examples of that where people have specific things in in their lives that they may even come here, hoping that either will partner with them.

Beth

Or they're really just on a quest to.

Beth

Do whatever they can do to try to get God to do the thing that they most feel like.

Beth

They need to have their deepest divine needs met, so that could be having their spouse become or be the person that they want them to be.

Beth

Or the sense of having irretrievably lost something when someone has died and or it can be when a relationship is lost, a breakup, when a person says a a breakup is devastating in some way.

Beth

Relational breakup.

Beth

There's usually a a deeply ingrained associated need that that they're unable to trust God for, and they feel that that person in that situation, the child that they wanted to have and haven't been able to have these.

Beth

These things are representing something to them.

Beth

All of those things, of course, are very legitimate to want to need.

Beth

The problem comes when we latch onto those things with a desire and a level of need for those things to be brought about.

Beth

Out that we're now the focus is now on them and off of God, and the focus on God is just to get God to do this thing or restore this thing or provide or bring this thing back away to to identify it in our own hearts is the thought process that well.

Beth

I feel like everything would be OK if blank, I'd be OK.

Beth

I'd be peaceful when.

Beth

And when there's a fill in the blank there.

Beth

Then it's an indication that we're not yet at a place where God is enough.

Beth

We're looking to the thing we just feel like he's got to do, or my life can't be peaceful can't be good, can't have joy.

Beth

I can't have peace, I can't have meaning in my life until filling the blank happens.

John

Yeah, there it can be so many different things we can choose virtually anything to decide that my life is going to be OK or I have assurance about it or I'm going to be.

John

I'm going to fulfill the deepest needs of who I am if I just get a thing and we certainly have seen the.

John

Changes they get all wrapped up in how much they just need to write a book or they just really want a certain amount of recognition or financial resources.

John

They are. There's waiting on something to begin or something to stop, but whatever it is, there is commonly a sense that the deepest needs they have the divine needs, the things that only God can fill, the things they need 100%.

John

Assurance, then, and therefore that takes a divine solution.

John

So that's a divine.

John

He'd only got in so.

John

All of it, but it's very common that people come in with an idea that they feel off inside.

John

They have a loss of peace, they're they're uprooted inside.

John

They're disrupted inside and they have come to the conclusion that a particular thing is the problem, and so a lot of times I think when people come what they're trying to do is help us resolve their problem with the thing and make it.

John

Work somehow to come up with a way to approach.

John

They feel like it's going to solve the problem in a way that it will actually fulfill that need.

John

And of course, what they're trying to do is address a deep need, and there really isn't an answer for that deep need through a worldly thing.

John

It's always going to be a God solution.

Beth

Now I understand the reason that we are so deeply understanding of all of us, not just John and me.

Beth

All the counselors at Rockhouse Center.

Beth

Is because we've all experienced this.

Beth

I think it's pretty common across mankind, certainly within the Christian culture.

Beth

To experience life in that way at some point and to then come to the realization that what we're really looking for is not what we think we've been looking for.

Beth

What we really need is to trust him more.

Beth

Or we don't.

Beth

We haven't understood that that's the answer, or if we have, we've sort of known it in theory.

Beth

And of course, our answer in helping people is not going to be just to tell them to trust God more, because if somebody told me that it wouldn't have made me trust God anymore, probably would just irritated me because it's, you know, at that point you've done all you know to do to trust God and so.

Beth

What we want to do is do what the Lord has done and continues to do for us, which is to under.

Beth

Stan how our life story came together, and really, how it started things that were in place before we were ten years old or even before we were five years old that launched us getting on our own specific version of a strategy of control and and then relying on that control one way or another too.

Beth

Build our lives to build the whole fabric, the foundation of how we're doing our life.

Beth

Not really understanding that we're missing out on a loving, trusting relationship with God and that that is the missing PE as well as the missing piece, the missing missing aspect of where my life is going to now settle down and be.

Beth

Have joy and have peace.

John

Is about gaining assurance in all the uncertainties of life.

John

But the situation that we are in because God actually built us to depend on him for the deepest needs and for him to fill the divine needs that he is the only one that can do that.

John

And he, I believe, built us that way, so we would not stop looking for filling that need until we found him.

John

I think that's one of the drivers behind it, but there is nothing here on the planet this.

John

Going to actually fill this.

John

Need, but there's a tremendous amount of effort on the part of people to try to figure out how to do it on their own strength because they haven't figured out the trust piece.

John

How do you realize the piece of this which is that God can fill and and let him fill that part of the need?

John

It's not uncommon that people will come up and say, well, wouldn't you want to have this?

John

And of course, in almost.

John

Every case the answer would be yes, because they're talking about a practical need of life, but it's yes and no to a degree because there's a difference between.

John

Yes, I would love to have my child be very successful in college for for example.

John

The thing about it is, is that if I want to have my child be successful for myself worth, then.

John

That's not going to happen, so if I were to someone comes to me and says I want my child to be successful in college, wouldn't you want that to?

John

My answer would be yes, but not for myself worth, but not for assurance about life.

John

And that's what we're trying to help people see is that there's.

John

The the things that are available in our lives, which God is put out there be blessings to us, or certainly things which are important to our lives.

John

But his plan for us is to understand that those things will never fill the deep need that he put.

John

Dennis and the common purpose of people is to try to fill that need without trusting him for it.

John

But to do that in their own strength.

John

So the answer.

John

If someone says you, wouldn't you like that we commonly thought?

John

Yeah, that would be a nice aspect of life that would be wonderful.

John

But we say yes to the the recognition of that would be good.

John

Or maybe to the need they're talking about, but no to the divine need we.

John

Would not want that for the divine need, and that's the big distinction is trying to help people see where they have pushed this thing thereafter into a place where really God is going to be the answer and it doesn't matter how hard they push that.

John

They're not going to be able to find resolution or satisfaction until they've trusted God for the the core thing behind it.

Beth

In the case of situations where someone has lost a child or they've they've had an accident and resulted in a loss of limbs or there other sorts of things that they have experienced as a catastrophic loss in some way.

Beth

Where a person has died and the person represented really important aspects, foundational aspects of their life, their well being, their relationships.

Beth

But in each of those cases, the answer is still the same thing.

Beth

The answer is still that yes, of course we would like to not have the suffering.

Beth

The chronic pain, the terminal diagnosis, whatever the thing may be.

Beth

But in the midst of that, God promised to be able to have his piece to rely on him to have more of him, to depend on him in a deeper way.

Beth

Actually like never before that promise.

Beth

Is still very real and is still very available, perhaps even more so given the depth of the circumstance that we're experiencing and but as long as.

Beth

Our desire for the thing to be rectified or healed or changed or restored, as long as that desire has come to where it sort of has taken over or even may in some cases consume us then.

Beth

Without realizing it, we've put that thing above God.

Beth

And now God can't give us peace in the midst of that loss or the thing that we think we need because.

Beth

We're so focused on the dependency of forgetting that and and then what?

Beth

We all tend to develop in going after it.

Beth

We we create our own strategy of control for how we're going to meet that need and all of that control becomes our focus.

Beth

And it creates this barrier between US and God.

Beth

This distance between US and God, and an inability to trust him in the deep level where we really need to trust him.

Beth

So if what we're praying for has become an idol, it's become a dependency.

Beth

It's a thing I'm depending on instead of God, then God will not be a part of helping us gain access.

Beth

To something that competes for that place in our heart that belongs to him.

Beth

That's the pivotal thing here.

Beth

We want to be able to come to a place of honesty that that filling the blank thing has become the thing that I'm depending on as opposed to depending on God.

Beth

His miracle of peace is to allow us to have supernatural peace, in spite of the circumstances of our lives.

Beth

So trusting God for legitimate needs makes complete sense and it's consistent with his will to take our burdens.

Beth

There are powerful scriptures that we want to talk about here.

Beth

One of them.

Beth

Isn't Ecclesiastes the very end of Ecclesiastes?

Beth

And of course, in the amplified it's truly amplified.

Beth

But these words you just kind of love these words please.

Beth

Yes, he's 12.

Beth

13 All has been heard the end of the matter is fear.

Beth

God meaning to Revere and worship him, knowing that he is and keep his commandments.

Beth

For this is the whole of me.

Beth

10 The full original purpose of his creation, the object of God's Providence, the root of character, the foundation of all happiness, the adjustment to all inharmonious circumstances and conditions under the sun, and the whole duty for every man. And he really means what he says, that it is the resolution to all inharmonious circumstances.

Beth

Under the Sun, and if you take the entirety of the words that he really does want to give us peace in the face of whatever circumstance have us live under the shelter of his protection.

Beth

Psalm 91 just came to mind living in that place, not that we don't have suffering or loss or difficulties, but.

Beth

The arrows by day and the terrors of the night don't come into our tent.

Beth

They we don't experience them as calamities and catastrophes because we're surrounded by the peace of God.

Beth

The presence of his Holy Spirit in us and that that direct connecting oneness with him.

John

Another scripture that's really powerful and I am so excited about this just because it's so absolutely clear.

John

I love it when Scripture is just absolutely clear.

John

Doesn't take a lot of interpretation, and that's the first Peter 57 scripture and again in the amplifier says casting the whole of your cares, all your anxieties. All of your worries.

John

All your concerns once and for all on him.

John

For he cares for you affectionately and cares about you.

John

Watchfully that's the God we're talking about.

John

Who is trustworthy to be there with us to hold us in a place of peace?

John

No matter, no matter what comes it, that's his promise has always been that no matter what comes that he can take us to a place where we can bear up and have peace.

John

And even have a sense of joy in times which make absolutely no sense to people who would be around casually observing you.

John

Situation, but the reality is that you have something because of God's gift, which allows you to have this supernatural peace to make any sense.

John

If you, if you look at it from a pure worldly perspective without the reality of God being there and being with you and holding you together during whatever the challenge is.

John

There's another great scripture that talks about the light yoke of Christ.

John

I think it's just really important to remember that there is this proposition that's going on with God, and he says that we get to exchange something.

John

We get to exchange the light yoke of Christ for all of the cares and all of the burdens.

John

That's what that last scripture that first Peter Scripture was really in.

John

Thing is that there is this opportunity to now make this switch when we come into the Kingdom.

John

We declare that Christ is the son of God and we move into a belief definition which includes trust that as we do that and we're releasing the burdens of this life onto him and all we do is take on the burden of Christ rule in our lives and.

John

Being submissive to him and what he has for us, there's another great scripture that speaks to that, and it's Matthew 1128.

John

Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest, I will ease and relieve and refresh your soul.

John

Rules well, that's enough there.

John

I don't think we need anymore scripts.

John

I mean, that's the main point is that you're taking on when we take on his yoke and we are releasing the burdens of life to him.

John

And that's really the call, is it no matter what's going on and what it is you think you need that you have focused on and struggled with and prayed for God to give you?

John

It's time to now release that thing and ask God to give you what he has for you to solve the same need you're trying to fill.

John

And really, a strategy that will not pay off for you and to move into God's plan for how that divine need within you is going to be.

John

So so I just would ask you if you were ready to do that.

John

If you're ready to move into a place of trust.

John

If you're ready to fill in the bridge word between belief and peace, and move into trust, and I would just encourage you to follow me in this prayer and reject that that strategy and move into the strategy of counting on God to fill the deepest needs of who we are.

John

So here's the prayer.

John

Heavenly Father, thank you for the depth of your love.

John

And the extent of your promises.

John

Forgive me for not trusting in your word.

John

So that I can live in all the peace you have for me.

John

Forgive me for praying for things that I have decided will give me peace.

John

Rather than for what you know will give me peace.

John

I declare that only the peace you offer.

John

Will satisfy my heart.

John

Desire for peace.

John

I reject the law and the belief that I know better than you what I need.

John

And declare that your plan for my life.

John

Comes from your perfect love and will for my life.

John

Forgive me for trying to control you through prayer.

John

Rather than asking you.

John

To make my heart agreeable with your will.

John

Please give me the strength.

John

To resist the desire of my flesh to take back control.

John

Please replace my dependency on control.

John

With dependency on you.

John

For peace and assurance about every need I have in my life.

John

I roll every burden I am experiencing onto your shoulders.

John

And trust and commit them to you.

John

Lord, please accept my trust.

John

And give me your peace in return.

John

I pray this in the precious name of your son Jesus.

Beth

Hey man, that's our podcast for today.

Beth

Getting beyond belief and into peace.

Beth

I pray that this blesses you.

Beth

Please send it on to someone that you think it may bless.

Beth

Let us know any ideas you have for topics and know that you can call Rock House Center or email us at any time.

Beth

Thanks for listening, bye.

John

Thanks for joining us bye.