Trust Me Because…

I have a hard time trusting people. This is not new; I think I have been this way for a long time.  But it's new to me, because I've just realized it.  If I meet someone at the office, or on the street, or at church, or in my neighborhood, and I'm not sure what they want from me, then I'm holding back.  They're not getting all of me—at least not until I know what role I'm supposed to be playing in this relationship.

I should clarify.  I have a hard time trusting people that I'm not sure I can trust.  Which means that I can trust, sometimes fiercely, those who have proven to be faithful and trustworthy.  But if the track record isn't there, I'm hesitant to let go of my heart.

I spoke with Renee Johnson, the Devotional Diva, this morning, and we got to talking about God's faithfulness in our lives in terms of His provision.  She brought up the idea of a little kid asking his parents each day if they were going to feed him tomorrow.  She said the parents would surely say:  "Yeah…and duh."  I love it; of course any child should trust his parents, but then the same could be said of us.

The trouble with not trusting others is that I find myself struggling to trust God as well.  That doesn't mean that in order to trust God, we must first trust others.  But it does mean that a foundational, deep, abiding trust in God will free us to trust others more readily.  Paul said this succinctly in saying, "If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).

We all struggle to trust God.  Renee wrote about the same topic today, and it's an issue I've been facing for the 4 months since I lost my job.  But we're both finding that God is faithful to provide for us in soul-satisfying, heart-leaping kinds of ways.

Jesus says "yeah…and duh" in this way:  "Your heavenly Father knows you need [all these things].  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).  He implies trusting God here, basically telling us not to worry about the small stuff—what we're going to wear, how we're going to eat.

He could have simply restated Proverbs 3:5-6:  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean in your own understanding.  In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths."  But He makes God's faithfulness even more explicit, and He makes our response even more pressing.  Trust in the Lord because He know you need these things.  And aknowledge Him by seeking first the kingdom of God.

So when we find ourselves struggling to trust God, we should preach to ourselves this truth:  Trust Him.  He is good.  He is faithful.  He knows what we need.  And He will take care of me.  But without taking away from this truth, we should add to it by saying:  And seek first His righteousness!

Seek Jesus.

Abide in Him.

Search out His word.

Search out His heart, and your heart, in prayer.

And for me, understanding my role is as His beloved, as His child, as a temple for His Spirit, as an inheritor with Christ of all things, makes me far more able to trust God.  Not simply because I know who I am in Him, but because of who is He is for me.  So now God is getting all of me—because He is trustworthy.

So let us say with David:  "Those who know your name put their truth in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you" (Psalm 8:10).  And let us put our faith in a God who knows our every need—and is pleased to give us all things!

Question:  Do you have a hard time trusting people—and trusting God?