How can we "make up our minds" to trust God in difficult times? Setting the Scene Luke 21 records Jesus preparing His disciples for future trials. In verse 14 He instructs, “So make up your minds not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves”. The Lord assumes difficulties will come, yet He commands a settled determination—an intentional choice—to trust Him rather than be ruled by anxiety. The Call to Resolve • “Make up your minds” is decisive language. The Greek term means to set, establish, or fix beforehand. • Trust, therefore, is not a spur-of-the-moment emotion; it is a deliberate commitment of the will, anchored in the certainty that every word of God is true (Psalm 119:160). • By telling His followers to prepare their hearts before the pressure arrives, Jesus reveals a gracious strategy: conviction forged in advance keeps panic from seizing the helm when storms break. Practical Steps to a Made-Up Mind 1. Anchor in God’s character • Recall His unchanging nature—“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). • Meditate on past faithfulness; personal history becomes evidence for future trust. 2. Settle on Scripture as final authority • Memorize promises that speak directly to fear: Isaiah 41:10; John 14:27; 2 Timothy 1:7. • Speak these truths aloud; faith grows by hearing the Word (Romans 10:17). 3. Choose obedience over outcomes • Like Daniel’s friends who declared, “But even if He does not…” (Daniel 3:18), decide that honoring God outweighs securing a desired result. 4. Practice daily surrender • “Trust in the LORD with all your heart… acknowledge Him in all your ways” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Small, routine acts of reliance train the heart for larger crises. 5. Cultivate Spirit-filled thinking • “Set your minds on things above” (Colossians 3:2). Deliberately replace “what-ifs” with “God is.” 6. Engage godly community • Shared testimonies and mutual encouragement reinforce resolve (Hebrews 10:24-25). 7. Pray for strength and wisdom • Though worry is forbidden, petition is welcomed (Philippians 4:6-7). Prayer transfers the burden to the One who can bear it. Encouraging Examples • Jehoshaphat: “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You” (2 Chronicles 20:12). • Paul: “I know whom I have believed and am convinced…” (2 Timothy 1:12). • Habakkuk: even if crops fail, “yet I will rejoice in the LORD” (Habakkuk 3:17-18). Each example highlights a choice to rest in God’s sufficiency before circumstances improved. Promises to Hold • Luke 21:15 — “For I will give you speech and wisdom…” The Lord pledges real-time help. • Isaiah 26:3 — “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast…” • Psalm 112:7 — “He will not fear bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” • John 16:33 — “In this world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world.” Takeaway Truths • Trust is a settled decision founded on God’s proven character and His infallible Word. • A mind made up in advance disarms worry when trials arrive. • The same Savior who commands trust supplies grace to keep trusting. |
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