Trust can be defined as the belief or confidence in the reliability, integrity, and honesty of someone or something. Trust can be challenging due to past betrayals or experiences, but it may come more naturally for others. The difficulty of trust is subjective, and people’s views on it can change over time.
When I was starting college, we had an orientation weekend. One of the events was a trust walk. We were paired up and took turns being blindfolded and led by our partner throughout part of the campus. My partner was much shorter and smaller than me. As she led me, she would clear objects like a tree branch, and I would walk right into them. When we finished, I had several bumps and bruises. Needless to say, the intended result was lacking in me. I did not trust her one bit.
Most of the time, trust is built over time. It also assumes some reasonable limitations. I consider myself a trustworthy person. I would never intentionally desire to break trust. But, if you needed an item delivered by foot and needed it done quickly, say a quick run, I would want to help out, but it would not be wise to trust that I could, for instance, run the item at a ten-minute mile pace. It just isn’t going to happen. This would be misplaced trust.
Sometimes, trust is difficult because we desire something to be done a certain way and don’t trust a particular person, or anyone for that matter, to do it the way we want it done. This can limit us in so many ways. I get that it’s important that things are done right. I wouldn’t want a shoddy surgeon. But I also understand that attempting to control every aspect of my life is fruitless since many things are outside my control.
We live in a world full of chaos. Yet, we are hardwired with a deep need to have something or someone to trust to serve as a firm foundation amidst life’s trials. Where’s the solution? God is the only one we can wholeheartedly trust. He will never let us down.
The psalmist proclaims, “For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth” (Psalm 71:5). This verse speaks of a lifetime of devotion and worship as a foundation of faith. Such trust in the Lord requires that we know and trust in who He is as well as what he determines to do. For instance, for me to genuinely trust God, I need to believe He is good and His will is best. When doubt fills my soul, I remind myself of who God is and that His will for me is always what’s right. It’s not always easy, but it’s always best.
Ernest Hemingway once wrote, “The best way to find out if you trust somebody is to trust them.” This is simple enough to understand but more difficult to put into practice. Difficult yes. But, impossible? No! The more we grow in knowing God, the greater our trust in Him. Also, be honest. Declare to the Lord, as the father of a child who asked Christ to heal, exclaimed, “I believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Jesus will always answer this prayer by helping us learn to trust. If you do these two things, you are heading down the right road to grow in trusting the Lord and living the abundant life Christ came to give us. After all, the victorious Christian life is one of trusting God in all circumstances. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!