When people have trust issues it's mainly because someone has hurt them. Betrayed them. Lied, or did something to them to cause them not to trust a person. This can sometimes spill over to other relationships and cause them to be not so trusting of other people.
Broken trust is a long bridge to rebuild once it's broken. It's hard to establish trust when you’ve been burned badly by the actions or inactions of others.
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. Proverbs 118:8
Now God on the other hand is not a man that He should lie. His Word is true and it does not return to Him void. He never leaves nor forsakes us. He has never let us down and even if there was a disappointment if we pause and take a careful look back it was for our good. He’s never betrayed us, told a secret, or misused us in any way.
When we think about where God has brought us from and through, trust should be well established. But there are still times when faced with trials we find it difficult to trust Him.
Why does trust seep in the deep?
Whether it's sickness. Marriage trouble. Family conflict. Grieving the loss of a dear loved one. Trusting God for your prodigal. Caregiving for a family member. Trusting God to supply all your needs. Why does trust seem to seep in the deep?
When going through the deep rushing agonizing waters of heartache or hardship how do we live out what we know to do from the Word of God, but find it very difficult to apply it effectively when life is life-ing?
Most of us know a Scripture or two about trusting God. A familiar Proverb, "Trust God with your whole heart and lean not to your own understanding." We may have heard the promise from the Book of Isaiah, that, "When we go through deep waters He will be with us." But how do we get these promises from our heads to our hearts that'll cause faith to mount up in us and give us enabling grace to stand and believe God amidst uncertainty, loss, illness, trials, and tests?
When you can't see your way. When you're praying and believing God the best you can yet you see no evidence of His Hand? I don't have a remarkable or highly profound answer to this question but I have learned through tested fire that if we do what we know to do, no matter how insignificant we think it is or how tough it may be at the time, God will do even the more.
God gives us instructions in His Word that blesses us with everything to live overcoming lives and God is so gracious that He will even bless us with personalized instruction from His Word.
You know that scripture that you see over and over. God might lead you to a verse or passage just for you and the situation that you're in at the exact moment, in your morning Bible reading. Then you might pick up an old notebook and you see it again. You might turn on Christian radio and there it is again! Then to top it off, a sister friend sends you the same book, chapter, verse! Maybe, just maybe, no, certainly God is trying to tell you something!
Many times, God has highlighted a scripture for me to hinge my faith and one thing that I have learned is that when God gives the word you have to take it by faith and follow through.
Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge. NKJV
When God highlights a scripture just when you need it or it may be a scripture (s) that you are anchored on to ignite your faith, make haste to apply it for it is good and needful for you. If it's instruction, follow through on it. If it's a promise meditate on it. Believe for it!
I like to say as often as you eat, even more so eat of the lifegiving and faith- building manna of the Word of God so that it gets down on the inside, so that it shows up in how you respond to the issues of life on the outside.
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17
God's Word is like medicine and like medicine you have to take it. You must get it down on the inside or it won't be effective. Medicine won't work if you just read the instructions on the outside of the bottle. You have to take it and get it down deep.
We can read the word. Know the word. Quote the word back and forth but if it's not taken in faith and washed down by the Holy Spirit, and sealed in prayer it bears no fruit when the tests and trials come, and they are guaranteed to come and when they do God’s Word and earnest prayer will give you mounting grace to carry you through.
Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me. Psalms 42:7
So when you feel like you’re going to drown, the waves of affliction feel like they are going to overtake you, grab hold of God and His Word. Draw near to Him in earnest prayer. It doesn't have to be long and drawn out. One word suffices when in deep despair and finding it hard to pray; Jesus. Be that as it may, if you have to cry from the depths of your heart and really unload. Tell Him all about it. By all means, cast it all on Him.
Draw Near to Him
Draw near to God, even if you feel He's far off. I know we've all had this feeling from time to time but when we do, we must be intentional to reject this "feeling" and instead remind ourselves of this benefit; "He said He'd never leave me, He'll never forsake me." The truth of the matter is that He’s right there with you. God is not a man that He should lie or leave. He's a Keeper. Moreover a Promise Keeper. Immanuel; God with us.
Bless Him
Oftentimes we ask God to bless us. Bless our children. Bless our church. Bless our health. Bless our community. Bless our nation. All these petitions of blessing are solid prayer points and surely we are to take them to God in prayer but how often do we just bless God?
He's so worthy of it all and so much more. We truly cannot bless Him enough. When do take time to lavish Him with praise, thanksgiving, worship, and adoration, He blesses us with more of His peace, strength, love, Presence, to move forward in the strength and grace He provides.
I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. Psalm 34:1-3
Benefits
Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all His benefits. Psalm 103:2
Imagine if you were blessed with a no-holds barred pre-paid card that was loaded with millions of dollars on it. There is no way you would forget about it or forget to use it. How much more should we not forget to appropriate the Word of God and all of the benefits of being a child and heir of the Most High God, Creator of heaven and earth!
Yes, God loads us daily with spiritual riches! The moment we receive Jesus into our hearts we go from rags to riches! Benefits that transcend material things of this earth that moth and rust destroy. We have life and life more abundantly in the Person and the work of Jesus Christ. It is He who carries us through. Keeps us from falling and causes us to triumph in Him.
Believe me, I know life gets hard but know that no matter where you find yourself today be confident of this; God is fully trustworthy! He is a loving, kind, compassionate, faithful, and caring Father. He is never absent, absent-minded, or unconcerned about you. He is a very present help in your time of need. He even rides the heavens to help you!
There is none like our God. Who rides the heavens to help you, across the skies in majestic splendor. Deutoronomy 33:26
Each time we experience the goodness and faithfulness of God it builds our faith and causes the head knowledge to mature and expand into heart knowledge. Growing us up in Him.
Knowing that the testing of our faith produces patience. Patience produces character and character hope. And this hope will never disappoint us because God has poured out His love into our hearts. Romans 5:4-5
Life is for sure a journey of hills and valleys. A lifelong walk of faith with God carrying us "through" to one level of trust to another.
We must fix our eyes on Jesus the Living Word and take heed to God’s breathed written Word. When the Word strengthens, guides and lights our paths there is no other way but THROUGH.
Prayer Matter:
I pray that out of His glorious riches, He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, be rooted and established in love. Ephesians 3:16-17 (emphasis mine)
