Trusting God! What it Entails

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The admonition to trust God is replete in the scriptures. In one instance we are told to, “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before him: God is refuge for us” (Ps.62:8).

The majority of people especially those who believe in God profess to have trust in God, but what does trusting God entails?

Trusting God I am afraid is more profound than many of us have realized.

To trust God is to have a firm belief or confidence in the honesty, truthfulness, justice, and power of God.

And when an individual on his/her own volition surrenders, or gives up his/her life to God, trusting God then signifies that the individual has covenanted with God to give him full control and jurisdiction over his/her life.

Now since surrendering one’s life to God is a covenant between the individual and God, it is the individual’s responsibility to allow God to have full control over his/her life, and believe it or not it is incumbent upon God in whom the individual has placed his/her trust, as a matter of responsibility and obligation to exercise full control over the individual.

In this regard we have been comforted with these words, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the almighty, will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.”

Because of the confidence and rest, due to the trust one has in God, he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence; he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge.

His faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you. You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked” (Ps.91:1-8).

These promises are conditional, they do not occur automatically even though one professes to believe in God, it is God’s duly responsibility to those who has made the Lord their refuge, who has placed their trust in God.

The psalmist continues, “Because (conditional) you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your habitation, no evil shall befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For, he will give his angels charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.

On their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.”

Again, conditionally, “Because he cleaves to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him my salvation” (Ps.91:9-16).

We can therefore have full trust and confidence in God to keep his part of the covenant, because as he says, “God is not man, that he should lie or a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”

And thus says the Lord, “For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore, you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”

Now since God in whom we place our trust and confidence to be our refuge, shelter, protection, safety, security from danger and trouble, and who is trustworthy and just, and does not change, why then should we believers who profess to have trust in God, murmur, and complaint when things are not going well, especially our way?

Especially when we have been admonished to, “Do all things without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault, in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe”(Phil.2:14-15).

The reason why we are not to complaint and argue it is because, “It is God who works in us both to will and to do for his good pleasure” (Phil.2:13).

Furthermore, we have been instructed saying that, “All things works together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28).

The obvious reason why those of us who claimed to have surrendered our lives to God become disillusioned, discouraged, despondent, disenchanted, fearful, and pessimistic it is because we do not trust God. It is that simple.

Those who have placed their trust in God’s Name, his Word, and Jesus Christ, should not place their trust in:

Weapons to defend themselves against their enemies. As it is written, “It is through God we will push back our enemies, it is through God’s name we trample our foes, we do not trust in our weapon, our weapon does not bring us victory, but God gives us victory over our enemies, he put our enemies to shame” (Ps.44:5-7).

Wealth: whether it be hefty solid bank account, a good comprehensive insurance, a good solid pension plan, a reliable investment, or a secure job, because, those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches, can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.

The instructions given to us by the lord is, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

In light of this, Jesus Christ gave a parable of the ground of a certain rich man which yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself saying, “What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?” So he said. I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry,” But God said to him, ‘You fool! This night your soul will be required of you, then whose will those things be which you have provided? So is he who lays up treasures for himself, and is not rich toward God” (LK. 12:15-21).

Instead of being anxious and fearful when things seems gloomy, we are admonished to, “Consider the birds of the air who do not sow or reap, have no store room or barn; yet God feeds them.

And consider how the lilies grow, they do not labor or spin, yet even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

And if God feed the birds which have neither storehouse or barn: and clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he feed and clothe us, who are of more value than birds and lilies.

Therefore, we are not to set our hearts on what we will eat, or drink; nor have any anxious mind. For all these things the Gentiles seek after, and our Father knows that we need these things. But seek the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you”

Those who have placed their trust in God are to be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplications with thanksgiving, should make their prayers known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guide their hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

If one who has surrendered his/her life to God becomes despondent, discouraged, fearful, and anxious when the situation looks bleak, it simply means that his/her trust is not in God, but in the things which makes him/her feels secure.

Leaders. Those who have placed their trust in the Lord are admonished to; “Not to put their trust in princes, in mortal men, who can not save. Because when their spirit departs they return to the ground, on that very day their plans come to nothing” (Ps. 146:3-4).

Man.For it is written; “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his strength, whose heart depart from the Lord” (Jer.17:5). One can never know when a man will stop being faithful to God, and turn away from the way of God.

Works. Any one who places his/her trust in works and their treasures strengthens himself in his wickedness. For thus says the Lord; “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches, but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, exercising loving kindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord” (Jer.9:23; Jer.48:7, Ps.52:7).

Righteousness: For thus says the Lord, “When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous works shall be remembered; but because of the iniquity that he has committed he shall die” (Ezek.33:13).

One who has surrendered his/her life to God has his/her trust only in

God’s name. As it is written, “Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name” (Ps. 33:20-21).
In God’s Word. According to the Psalmist David, “Let your mercies come also to me, O Lord – your salvation according to your word, so shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in your word” (Ps. 119:41-42
In Christ; in whose name Gentiles will trust (Matt. 12:21).

Those of us who profess to have surrendered our lives to God: let us truly examine ourselves in this time of global financial crisis, Where is our trust? Is it in God, or is it in our security?

Remember, we are admonished to, “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” He is faithful in keeping his part of the covenant let us keep our part of the covenant by learning to trust him.