Today’s blogger is my dear friend, Terri Amos. She has some insightful words of honesty and wisdom to share with you. They’re exactly what many hurting parents like us need to hear when we’re struggling with disappointment. When our son gets arrested. When our daughter gets pregnant. When they get another DUI but refuse to admit they have a problem. Or when they can’t get out of bed because they’re so depressed yet refuse help.

I have to be honest… I am a doubter. Some people have faith and it appears that nothing seems to shake their faith. But for me, disappointments in life can really mess with my relationship with God.

I have some dear friends battling cancer, some grieving over lost loved ones, many longing to get married or have children, and many concerned about their children not walking with the Lord. I pray for them. I pray for my own concerns. And I find myself disappointed when things don’t turn out the way I want them to.

Disappointments in life can cause us to become cynical and doubt that God is good and worthy of our trust.

When we doubt, we cross our arms (perhaps just metaphorically but maybe even literally) and with prideful hearts demand that God prove to us that He is good. We pray and expect that He answer our prayer our way or else we will not believe that He can be trusted.

The truth is: God is good and can be trusted no matter what the outcome.

I remember a retreat I was at many years ago and a woman spoke on God’s goodness. I remember her saying, “God is good and cannot not be good.”

It is His identity. It is His fingerprint.

When we trust, we uncross our arms and with humble hearts and child-like faith, we pray as Jesus taught us to “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”

Crossing our arms and demanding that God prove Himself only leads to distance from God. Just try crossing your arms. Go ahead… Look at the barrier you made.

However, opening our arms and trusting that God is good no matter what, will surely lead us to intimacy.

I don’t know about you, but I long for intimacy with God. I want to kick the habit of doubt.

Lately I’ve been practicing prayer with a heart of humility. I intentionally sit with my arms uncrossed and at my side. I make my request and then I say, “nevertheless, not my will but Yours, Oh Lord, because You are good and can be trusted.”

What is something difficult in your life that’s challenging you to trust God is good no matter what happens?

Would you uncross your arms with me?

No matter what storm you may be going through, God is there.

He’ll never leave you.

Click here to be encouraged by the song, In the Eye of the Storm.

*Terri Amos has been a guest blogger here before. She serves and travels with her husband, Rick. Together they launched Eurasia Partners, a ministry that helps to accelerate church planting in the countries of Eurasia. They have 3 adult children and live in Orlando, Florida.

You can follow her at Intentional Life Coaching.