What is the basis of this trust of God? It is His character and the experiences you have had with Him. God’s character is revealed in two words. The first is love. “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8,16). The love that is the basis for the character of God is unconditional love. This is the love that is “everlasting” (Jer 31:3). It is a love where I can do nothing that will make God love me anymore and a love where there is nothing that I can do to make God love me any less. He loves me no matter what. I will admit that I sometimes struggle with that concept. because I have recognized that at some point everyone is going to let me down. At some point they are going to disappointment me, and I am going to disappoint them. However God will never let me down. He will never let you down. God’s character is revealed in the word “love.”
The second word that reveals His character of love is “good”. God is good. (2 Chron 7:3, Ps. 73:1). This word “good” flows out of God’s character of love. Because God loves us unconditionally - everything He does is good. He can’t do anything but good. How He interacts with me is good. Even when I don’t understand what He is doing, I still know that He is good. He always has my best interest at heart. So knowing deep down that God is love and that God is good underlies everything that I see and experience.
It’s a concept I try to teach my children. If they know that mom and dad love them unconditionally and that we always have their best interest at heart, then they might not understand why we make every decision we do, but they trust us because they know we love them and that we are good.
However, God’s character alone isn’t the basis for our trust in Him. It is also our experiences with Him. So let me give you a suggestion. Take one area of your life where you know you haven’t trust God completely. It could be your spiritual life, your family life, your work. It could even be a struggle that you are having, a sin you are trying to overcome. For the next 30 days pray, “Lord, I trust this (name specific area) to you. I give it to you because I know that you are good. I know that you have my best interest at heart. I know you will do what is best for me even if I don’t understand it. I give this area to you to demonstrate to me that you can be trusted.” In those 30 days God will demonstrate that He can be trusted. How do I know? Because God has done it in my life.
There is one other thing that we do when we don’t trust God with our whole heart. We say we turn our lives over to him but at the first sign of things not going the way we think they should, we take control back. When I was learning how to drive I took driver’s education. What was interesting about that driver’s ed car was that while I was in the driver’s seat and had access to all the controls of the car, I still didn’t have complete control of the car. On the floor of the passenger’s side was what was called the “driver’s ed brake” In case I wasn’t going to stop in time, the instructor could touch the “driver’s ed brake” to slow or stop the car. There are also cars that have two steering wheels so the instructor can take over the direction of the vehicle at the first sign of any trouble.
It is the same with our relationship with God. We let him in the driver’s seat of our lives but at the first sign of Him not doing things the way the way we think He should we say, “Lord we gave you a chance. I don’t think you can be trusted” and we take “control” back.
Solomon pointed out, Jesus lived out, and we are called to “to cast ourselves upon our Savior-God in complete trust, not holding back in any area of our mind or will of feeling.” (C. Swindoll, Living the Proverbs: Insight for the Daily Grind, 41) We trust God because of His character and our experiences with Him.
Conversation:
- Where can you see God working in your life where you trust Him more?
Recommended Book
Thousands have become acquainted with Jesus through this little book, Steps to Christ. And it has helped many more, including those who have walked with Him for years, to know Him better.
In just thirteen short chapters, you’ll discover the steps to finding a forever friendship with Jesus. You’ll read about His love for you, repentance, faith and acceptance, growing like Him, the privilege of prayer, what to do with doubt, and how to spend your days rejoicing in your best Friend, Jesus.