Trust

Read Time: 16 Minutes

I was flying not too long ago and as we rose through the clouds I realized that I was trusting the airplane to keep me safe. I am in awe of the ability to meet the clouds and fly through them. They are so close. They spread before me in soft gracefulness. As I am on their level they look like I could rest on them in heavenly slumber but in reality they will not bear my weight. I cannot trust them.

But I can put my trust in God. I trust in the plane that I am riding on; a vehicle of man's devising. How much more can I trust God, the creator of the heavens and the earth and all that is in them?

God exhorts us often to trust in Him. (Note: emphasis is added in the verses to highlight words that are 'trust' and alternate translations.)

Proverbs 3
:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

The facts are the facts, nothing more.  God's ways are higher than our ways. We have finite minds conditioned by the five senses. God is Spirit and able to do beyond what we can ask or think.

The result of trusting God is desirable.

II Kings 18
:1 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel,
    that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
:2 Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign;
    and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem.
    His mother's name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.
:3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD,
    according to all that David his father did.
:4 He removed the high places, and brake the images,
    and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made:
    for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.*
:5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel;
    so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah,
    nor any that were before him.
:6 For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him,
    but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.

Hezekiah was king of Judah. Israel had their own king, Hoshea, who did not look to God and trust in Him. During Hezekiah's reign Samaria (the region Israel occupied) was overrun by Assyria and repopulated which watered down Judaism and which is why the Samaritans were looked down on by the Judeans. But God delivered Judah from the King of Assyria because Hezekiah and the people of Judah trusted in Him. It wasn't because Judah had great armies and resources. God took care of them because they trusted in Him They clave to the Lord and didn't depart from Him and kept His commandments. You can read more about Hezekiah in the article Hezekiah - He Clave to the Lord. Hezekiah wasn't perfect and he made mistakes but God says of him that there was not any like him among all the kings of Judah.

It is natural for us to trust in our own abilities; in our own flesh. However, we are imperfect and ultimately weak and powerless. The apostle Paul had a great position in the church; he was a Pharisee, a good job that would provide for him and his family. He could have had confidence or trust in the flesh, but God revealed unto him His grace and mercy which is a better way to live than under the law. That which he was able to obtain by his own strength he counted as dung so that he could live for God.

God had Paul write:

Philippians 4
:4  Though I might also have confidence [trust] in the flesh.
    If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin,
    an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church;
    touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss
    for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:
    for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,
    and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness,
    which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ,
    the righteousness which is of God by faith:
:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection,
    and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Trusting in our own abilities, knowledge, position, or strength is limiting. Some people are brilliant, wealthy, or continually fortunate; they still cannot trust in themselves for all of that has its limitations.

Luke 18
:25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye,
    than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

God doesn't say it is not available for a rich man to be saved, it is just harder because they have a hard time trusting God; they are used to doing it all successfully themselves.

Trusting God has been a challenge for God's people throughout the ages. Eve was deceived because she started relying on her five senses instead of believing God and trusting that His Word was true no matter what the deceiver told her.

While the Children of Israel were in Egypt they began to trust in Egypt and the prosperity and protection that it afforded. However, when there arose a pharaoh that didn't know Joseph he enslaved Israel. Because the people trusted in Egypt they were oppressed. They relied on Egypt for their sustenance and not on God. Even after being delivered, when it looked like they were running out of water or food, they cried to return to Egypt where that was supplied. They had to learn to trust in God, the old generation, who didn't trust God, had to die off before they could move into the Promised Land and occupy it. The new generation had seen God work and trusted in Him.

Isaiah 30
:1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me;
    and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:
:2 That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth;
    to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
:3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame,
    and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.

We cannot trust in our surroundings, our jobs, our government, our families. Those are not the supplier of our needs.

God goes on to explain that with patience he waits and will take care of His people when they return to Him. He will protect and prosper them. He will cause their tears to cease.

:18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you,
    and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you:
    for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
:19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem:
    thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry;
    when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.

Let us be the generation that trusts in the Lord God Almighty.

God supplies our needs:

Matthew 3
:28 And why take ye thought for raiment?
    Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
:29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field,
    which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven,
    shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
:31 Therefore take no thought, saying,
    What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:)
    for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;
    and all these things shall be added unto you.
:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow:
    for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.
    Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

In all areas of our lives we can trust God. David experienced great adversity and life threatening situations at the hand of Saul whose jealous spirit caused him to pursue him for years. He was delivered by God because he trusted in Him. He couldn't rely on his own strength, courage and wit; his resources were no match for Saul, the king.

II Samuel 22
:1 And David spake unto the LORD the words of this song
    in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies,
    and out of the hand of Saul:
:2 And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
:3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust :
    he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge,
    my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
:4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised:
    so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
:5 When the waves of death compassed me,
    the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;
:6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about;
    the snares of death prevented me;
:7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God:
    and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.

:29 For thou art my lamp, O LORD:
    and the LORD will lighten my darkness.
:30 For by thee I have run through a troop:
    by my God have I leaped over a wall.
:31 As for God, his way is perfect;
    the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.
:32 For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?
:33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.
:34 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon my high places.

God has David write this so that we may be comforted and encouraged. God exhorts us often to trust in Him, there must be something to that.

Isaiah 26
:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
:4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

Jesus Christ put his trust in God, he always did His Father's will. Jesus Christ trusted even unto death.

Hebrews 2
:10 For it became him [Jesus Christ], for whom are all things, and by whom are all things,
    in bringing many sons unto glory,
    to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
:11 For both he that sanctifieth [Jesus Christ] and they who are sanctified [us] are all of one:
    for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
:12 Saying, I [Jesus Christ] will declare thy name unto my brethren,
    in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. [OT quote Psalm 22:22]
:13 And again, I [Jesus Christ] will put my trust in him [God].
    And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
    [See John 17 Jesus Christ's prayer for us right before he was betrayed]
:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood,
    he also himself likewise took part of the same;
    that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Jesus Christ was flesh and blood just like us, he was confronted with fears and doubt. But his confidence was so unwaveringly solid that he never questioned God's will and knew that He would always be there for him.

Psalm 9:
:10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee:
    for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
:11 Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion:
    declare among the people his doings.

They that know God's name will put their confidence in Him. We must get to know Him. We can consider Him trust worthy. How can we know what God will do and has done if we don't stick our heads in the Bible and take time to be with God and talk with Him?

Psalm 5
:11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice:
    let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them:
    let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
:12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous;
    with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

Nehemiah 8
:8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense,
    and caused them to understand the reading.

:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet,
    and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared:
    for this day is holy unto our Lord:
    neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.**

Trust in Him and rejoice. Let us shout for joy for we are blessed and encompassed about by His mighty protection. We must get to the point that we are persuaded.

Romans 8
:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
    nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
    shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The fist time I stepped onto a plane I was terrified. I was probably 6, but I knew it was going to leave the ground with me in it and I was scared.  I have flown many times since and sometimes it scares me. When I failed to put my trust in God and kept thinking about the worst-case scenarios I became anxious and fearful. But I asked God to teach me how to let His peace reign and He continually teaches. It is trust; it is having confidence in what God says; it is relinquishing the concern completely and letting God have it. Put down your cares and walk away.

In order to stand in God's strength we must have complete confidence in Him.

II Timothy 1
:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God,
    which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;
    but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner:
    but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling,
    not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace,
    which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ,
    who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
:11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things:
    nevertheless I am not ashamed:
    for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded [trust]
    that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

 

Trust Continued...