What I'm Reading - Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret

This book has been recommended to me many times. So much so that I purchased it, but for some reason I never got around to reading it. So, when our Pastor recommended it from the pulpit a few weeks ago, I thought it was time to dust it off and delve into it.

Hudson Taylor was a missionary to China. I'm not too far into the book, but what I do appreciate already is his reliance on God. He doesn't seem to worry about things, but rather he leaves them in God's capable hands. One example of this is before he left for the mission field. His boss forgot to pay him, but Hudson Taylor didn't feel right about asking his boss for his pay. Well, Hudson needed to pay a bill by a certain time, and while this was a pressing matter, he put the whole situation in God's hands and was content to rest in Him. The boss remembered, but by the time he did so, it was too late to go to the bank. Hudson still continued to trust that God would meet his needs. As they were closing up shop, a man rushed in to pay his bill. He paid in cash and Hudson received his pay.

So often we say we leave something in God's hands, but then we start worrying about it. Deep down we wonder if God will really take care of us. If He will really provide our needs. (A discussion on needs vs. wants is a whole different topic!) Worrying about something we've turned over to Him is akin to ripping it from His capable hands because we think we can do it better ourselves. Oh, how this must grieve our Father!

Instead of worrying (who of you by worrying can add a day to his life or a hair to his head?), we are to remember that God promises to provide all our needs (Philippians 4:19). We are told to cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us (1Peter 5:7). God faithfully provides for His children. He longs for us to trust Him fully. He wants us to cast our cares on Him so that we won't concern ourselves with worry. If He is your Father, trust Him... completely... all the time.

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Oh Father in Heaven,

How often we fail You. How often we tell you the troubles of our heart, laying them at Your feet, only to pick them up again. Forgive us for not believing. Increase our faith. Increase our trust. Teach us to love You more.