Sin of not Trusting God Quietly

“This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” (Isaiah 30:15).

                Do you have peace in your heart?  Even in your crisis, do you enjoy God’s peace?  Or do you have worry and anxiety in your heart?  If you trust God completely, you are enjoying God’s peace even in your crisis.  But if you do not trust Him completely, you probably have worry and anxiety in your heart.  If there is worry and anxiety in your heart, that is a sign that you are not trusting God completely.  In fact, you doubt God.  And it is a sin of distrust. 

                The Israelites did not want to trust God quietly (Isa. 30:15).  In their crisis, they trusted Egypt instead of God (vv. 1-2).  Although God clearly told them not to make alliance with Egypt (Exod. 13:17), they disobeyed God’s word and made alliance with Egypt (Yun Park).  The Israelites rejected God’s message (v.12) and relied on Egypt’s help which was utterly useless (v.7).  They depended on Egypt for chariots and horsemen (36:9).  They trusted Egypt which their ancestors served as slaves for four hundred years.  Why did the Israelites do that?  Why did they weight God with Egypt and choose to rely on Egypt instead God?  What was the cause?  I think the cause was the Israelites’ unwillingness to listen to the Lord’s instruction (v.9).  The Israelites did not want to see visions through God’s seers (v.10).  They did not want to hear God’s message through God’s prophets such as prophet Isaiah (v.10).  In fact, they did not want to hear more about the Holy One of Israel (v.11).  They did not want to hear “what is right” (v.10).  Rather, they wanted to hear “pleasant words” that brought illusion (v.10).  That’s why the Israelites got out of the path of righteousness (v.11).  As a result, the Israelites were ashamed (vv.3-5).  And their high wall collapsed suddenly in an instant (v.13).  And this was their act of rebellion (v.1). 

                How about us?  Are we different from the Israelites?  Don’t we trust useless “Egypt” more that God?  Not trusting God quietly is sin of distrust.  And its cause is refusing to listen to the Word of God (v.9).  But there is hope in God.  And the hope is that the Lord longs to be gracious to us and have compassion on us (v.18).  That’s why we must repent and return to God.  And we must trust God quietly with all our hearts.  In order to do that, we must listen to the Word of God (v.15).  And when we listen to His Word, our faith will grow (Rom.10:17).  And when our faith grows, we will be able to trust God quietly even in the mist of our crisis.  Then we will be able enjoy God’s peace in our heart.

As I long to enjoy God’s peace by trusting God quietly,

James Kim