Today’s Reflection
Here’s what I discovered about my need to fix and rescue: I had basically short-circuited the ability to learn from failures. In community we fail together, we learn from it, and we move on together. But I couldn’t let the failures happen, so I took on burdens that didn’t belong to me. Deep down, I could not allow myself to fully trust the capacity of my leaders—even though they were super-capacity kind of people. But they showed me over and over again that not only could they be trusted—they also should be celebrated for their great leadership.
—Junius B. Dotson, Soul Reset: Breakdown, Breakthrough, and the Journey to Wholeness (Upper Room Books, 2019)
Today’s Question
When have you practiced trusting others? When have you learned from failure – on your own or in community? Join the conversation.
Today’s Scripture
And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.
—Psalm 9:10, NRSV
Prayer for the Week
God of new beginnings, help us to reset and reorder our lives around your love, grace, and goodness. Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.
Something More
Join us for the next online Academy Day Apart retreat, Praying the Psalms in Lent and Beyond: Shaping a Justice Imagination, with Gabby Cudjoe-Wilkes and Andrew Wilkes. On March 18, 2023, we will focus on the spiritual practices of silence and contemplation as we journey intentionally through this Lenten season. Learn more and register here.
Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Looking for lectionary-based resources? Learn more about The Upper Room Disciplines.
6 Comments
I think in every human relationship there are times of trust and times of failure. Sometimes the trust can be and is restored and there are also times when it can not be restored. Only with faith in God can trust, always through confession, repentance, love, mercy, and grace, be restored. Thank You, Lord.
Temps dropping below zero, predictions for as low as -17. Thankful food shopping was done yesterday..
Good skiing yesterday at Bretton Woods and awesome views of Mount Washington.
Prayers for the NEM family, the US, the people of the world. Lord we need You always. Thank You for Your ever presence.
I don’t trust anyone. And I don’t distrust. I just trust God.
Due to the fact that I have trusted others who turned out to be untrustworthy, I am not the best with trusting others. I try to be someone who takes responsibility for my actions. It is hard to admit when something I try to do turns into a train wreck. Failures in relationships have taught me to screen whom I put my trust in more carefully….most of the time. With Jesus, we know we can put our trust in Jesus. Unfortunately, the PTSD and hurt of trusting those who wronged us can get in the way. This is true of faith communities as well. The kind of hurt that can take place in church is the hardest. I am still working through it, after many years.
Lucy had wht vet thinks is a virus. She got a rip and anti-nausea meds and is much her old self. We are thankful. David’s progress in therapy is a positive. He’s working on being more independent. I am struggling with what our lives have turned into. Thanks be to God for this group of friends.
Autocorrect turned antibiotics into something else. Lucy got antibiotics, not a rip.
Trust is very difficult for me. From a young age those around me proved themselves untrustworthy over and over.
H continues to struggle with day to day tasks. He also continues to ask varying questions about “the other place.” I just tell him there is no other place and this house is our only home. Every evening finds me exhausted from the constant stress.
I have been told and finally am able to realize that I have high expectations of others. My first thought went to the organization I volunteered with. I got so frustrated by lack of initiative and follow through by others on the board, that I stepped up and took on way too big of a share of things. But I wanted things done right – and I would rather be labored with that charge than see things done insufficiently and see the organization look lesser than it should.
I also realize that in my early adulthood, for quite a while, I had heavy expectations of close friends. Maybe that is why today, I have really only two super close friends. In the next circle I have a handful of trusted confidants. I am cautious with putting myself out there…warts and all (I guess I should put expectations in there, too). It has been refreshing to see my relationship with my tennis friend grow, and where the roots are. I think its very healthy and I have learned from my earlier mistakes.
Getting a lot accomplished at school this morning. Two classes this afternoon, one of which is taking an assessment. So, should continue to get things done.
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