There’s something about the slow, silky flow of the Au Sable River in the fall that soothes my soul. I love to watch as, one by one, leaves are set free, gracefully floating on the breeze until the stream quietly cushions their landing, ferrying them to places unknown. As I survey the meandering current, I’m continually amazed that something so powerful can slip by so silently. God’s peace is like that.

I remember a time when I sat overlooking one of these scenes in the early morning light. As the crisp stillness wrapped around me, I whispered my praise to God in awe for all that I could see. I even shared a boyish wonder with my Creator, imagining Jesus leaning against a nearby cedar, as we both soaked in the sunlit masterpiece. As is typical, my conversation of praise soon turned into confessions of my concerns, as I began pouring out my heart about difficulties and challenges I faced.

Then I stopped my rolling dialogue, once again considering the setting around me. I felt a quiet prompting to be silent, listening for what the Lord might say to me. 

”Is there anything you want to say to me Lord?” I asked. 

As the tuner in my head scanned through layers of static and noise, it finally came to a brief resting place. Into this sacred pause, I sensed His voice. “Trust me,” is all He said. 


I confess, a host of upcoming concerns flooded through my mind, many of which were tainted with the temptation of fear.

I don’t know about you, but I find this temptation slithers silently in the shadows of our uncertainty. It coils quietly in the recesses where we squirrel away our concerns. It slowly squeezes hope from our eyes and drains joy from our hearts. Before we realize it, venomous fangs plunge into our soul, injecting its paralyzing poison. Like venom, fear silently penetrates the corners of our hearts, contaminating our joy and peace.

In that quiet moment, perched on the river bank, I sensed the Lord offering the antidote for even the smallest sliver of fear. “Trust me,” He whispered. It was as if He was saying, “Trust me to work out all the needs and arrangements for these next few days and weeks. Trust me. I’m there already. I’ve gone ahead of you and have already prepared a solution. You’ll find it, if you trust me.” Maybe from time to time you find yourself perched on a riverbank, ruminating on the concerns stacking up in your life. It’s in these moments we most need to experience the joy of the Lord.

In our life’s faith journey, we’re all searching for a deeper understanding and a richer experience of that joy. I call this the Quest For Joy. When Jesus was praying to the Father just before the cross He said, “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.” Joy is what Jesus gives us and joy is what the enemy wants to take from us.

The Lord taught me a lesson on that riverbank that morning. He taught me that “Fear Is Venom To Our Joy … But Trust Is The Antidote!” 


In John 14:1 Jesus said, “Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” And in verse 27 He said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you … Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”


 Trusting in God’s ways, wisdom and will is the antidote to fear. Why? Because there is nothing too big for God to handle. Nothing too small to escape His attention. Nothing too horrible that His grace can’t forgive. Nothing too desperate that His love can’t calm. The moment our focus shifts toward confident hope in Him, away from this venomous predator, the antidote of trust begins to reverse the toxic power of fear. 

Joy is found through trust, because it reminds us that the One in whom we count on is faithful, powerful and good.

Like that slow, silky flow of the Au Sable River, when we listen to His whisper to trust Him, we’ll be amazed as the silent power of His peace meanders through our soul, depositing joy along its path.

And so we pray, “Lord God Almighty, our Faithful and Loving Shepherd. Who, beside you, was here when creation burst into being? Who, beside you, has walked the corridors of eternity? Who, beside you, is perfect and holy? Who, beside you, possesses a pure heart filled with love, grace and mercy? Who, beside you, has paid the price for our sins and redeemed us from judgment and hell? You alone are God, the Almighty King, the Lord of Lords, the Creator of all there is, the standard and embodiment of truth, the Shepherd of your people, the Savior, the Bright and Morning Star. You alone are God! You alone are my God! Amen.”