"I'm BATMAN!"

Trusting in God is tough.

There's this inherent desire in us to want to know everything. I sometimes compare it to being like Batman, which sounds a bit goofy, almost cartoonish, but I think deep down, we're all like him.

Batman, or Bruce Wayne, if you'd like, doesn't have special powers in the same way guys like Superman or Spiderman do. He's a strong enough, tough guy, but he doesn't have anything that gave him an enhanced edge like Spidey. What sets Bats apart was his mind, his cunning, and his ability to apply all that with incredible results.

He put together a hideout.
He built "toys." A lot of really cool ones. (I dare you to tell me you wouldn't love any of the vehicles from Christopher Nolan's pictures. I'll bet you a dollar to a doughnut you're not telling the truth.)
He had a really nifty suit that could stop bullets and sharp objects. It didn't quite let him fly, but it helped him get around in the night through the air.
He had a nice "radar" network between Alfred, Lucius Fox and all the gear.
And he always had a plan with lots of backups.

The point is this: Batman never was taken by surprise. If something didn't work, Batman had already seen that possibility, thought it through, and knew what he'd do in that instance. His m.o. is to be not simply one step ahead of everyone but closer to seven steps ahead. Catching the guy flat-footed was near impossible.

And really... that's us. We want to see the outcomes. We want to plan for them, have alternatives, and plan for them. In some ways, that's not a bad thing.

Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.~Matthew 10:16

Jesus recognized the value of wisdom and learning. He encouraged us to learn and to use discernment and judgment (and to balance it with gentleness and love in the midst of a tough world). These are not bad things in and of themselves.

But when we can't always see the outcomes in front of us... when the Batman method fails us... what then?

That's tough (and to be honest, frightening), but really, those moments of pitch darkness are when I've seen my faith hardened into something stronger. They remind me that there is no reliance in those "plans."

Our reliance is only in our Heavenly Father, and in Him is our trust because He loves us. The fear in not knowing what will happen is not dispelled simply because we wish it away or ignore it (that's pretty stupid and also... it doesn't work). However, when we stop and consider just how huge God's love is for us and how His design is above and beyond our idea of past, present, and future... trusting Him becomes less of an issue.

I trusted my parents as a kiddo because I believed, in my heart, they wouldn't let me down. They love me. It's no different with God. When we trust in Him because He loves us, there is strength. I saw that at work in the ability to go and minister in Belize (a trip I really had no business taking by the world's standards).

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.~Joshua 1:9

Set me as a seal upon your heart,
    as a seal upon your arm,
for love is strong as death,
    jealousy is fierce as the grave.
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
    the very flame of the Lord.
~Song of Solomon 8:6

Trusting *IS* hard when we can't see the way forward. It's no surprise we (I include myself) fight it. But when we begin to see we trust in a Heavenly Father who loves us far larger than loving parents do... the fight begins to melt away.