Trust. A noun – reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence. I confess, I’m not a person who trusts easily but when I do I am “all in”. I like to think I’m a good judge of character, but sometimes I am wrong. I learned today that I will be in the same room this week with a few people who, in the past couple of years, I discovered are not trustworthy. I’m struggling with that. I suspect some of you struggle with trust as well.
In an earlier post from August 2020 I wrote about 11 Words That Changed My Life. Three of those words were “Trust and Obey”. This week is one of those “Opportunities to Trust” and there are a few things I need to remember.
- I don’t have the ability to handle this on my own and my limited earthly vision does not allow me to see how God might use the situation to heal wounds and relationships. I’m not smart enough to see all of that. Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. – Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)
- When I am struggling with trust, I am invited to run to Jesus for his grace, knowing He suffered betrayal as well and He understands my pain. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. – Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)
- I need to remember that faithfulness is part of God’s character and I can trust Him even when life does not make sense to me. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: the faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. – Lamentations 3:21-23 (NLT)
- God has shown his faithfulness to me in the past and has sustained me through broken relationships, anxiety, depression, and seasons of doubt. He never changes and will continue to sustain me. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. – Hebrews 13:8 (NLT)
- I know I can only trust God through the power of the Holy Spirit and need His help to let my heart believe as well as my mind. I need to pray constantly that I will be able to trust Him. Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. – Philippians 4:5-6 (NASB)
Just reading these scriptures of the faithfulness of God as I prepare this post brings me encouragement and hope for the coming week. This “Opportunity to Trust” is in God’s hands, not mine. I can hardly wait to see what happens!
Simple Faith 
Just read your newest blog post. Solid message which causes me to also feel strengthened by God’s faithfulness.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful reminders every one! Thank you Deanna!
Love you🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
Recently I heard Jen Wilkens talk about being hurt in a Christian organization. She stated that when we are hurt, it’s because we had the wrong expectations. All Christians are fallen beings who God has forgiven through Christ’s sacrifice. However, those forgiven sinners are still capable of doing, saying, or accomplishing things through ungodly actions, attitudes, or self-centered reasons. When working with Christians, we tend to expect stellar behavior and Christ-like attitudes. Thus, when those characteristics do not happen, the result is hurt, disillusionment, and loss of trust. The higher up the chain of authority in the Christian environment, the greater the loss of trust.
I, too, experienced the ungodly attitudes and actions of those in authority while serving in a church. But Jen’s words made me wonder what expectations I had that set me up for hurt, anger, and withdrawal. There were many.
Thank you, Deanna, for addressing this subject with a scriptural mindset for facing and resolving (perhaps) the confusing set of emotions that surround these situations. When sin has assaulted us, trust is broken, and it takes a long time to rebuild that trust. In the ensuing time, we can look at the bigger picture of Spiritual growth and reevaluate our walk with God. We can shelter ourselves under God’s wing and wait for the Holy Spirit to soften our hearts, lessen the pain and give a new perspective.
LikeLiked by 1 person