No matter how hard you try, you can never truly be led by God if you don’t trust Him. Trust is the foundation of every relationship—and that includes the relationship between a follower and a leader. Sometimes, the follower is led through dangerous or rough paths. The one thing that will keep him following is the trust he has in the leader. The follower must be confident that the leader will not abandon him or leave him to perish.
To trust is to rely on the ability and faithfulness of someone or something.
My all-time go-to biblical examples for almost everything are Saul and David. Both men stand on opposite sides of what it means to trust God. David was a man who placed his trust solely in the Lord, while Saul… well, he often preferred his own judgment. (Pro. 3:5)
What announced David to the world was his unwavering trust in God. As a teenage boy, he watched the terrifying Goliath threaten the armies of Israel and with nothing but a slingshot and total trust in God, he went up against Goliath. He recounted past victories that the Lord had given him, and trusted that this time would be no different. David delivered a fatal blow to Goliath and ended up being the star of the season. Despite his inexperience and small size, he did not doubt the outcome, because his confidence rested fully on God’s ability, not his own. (1 Sam. 17)
Saul, on the other hand, was frequently disobedient and lacked trust in God. He failed to carry out God’s clear instructions, and when God turned away from him, Saul, instead of earnestly seeking God’s forgiveness, resorted to witchcraft. His lack of trust made obedience impossible, and ultimately, he suffered the consequences. (1 Sam. 28)
Your trust will get you through the tough times. Only a heart that wholeheartedly trusts the Lord could remain steady amid the irony of Joseph’s life after his dream. Everything that happened in his life for the next 13 years after his dream was enough to cause him to give up. But his trust in the Lord kept him grounded (Gen. 37-42). Joseph’s story reveals a recurring trust. That is, the type of trust that endures. He believed that the One who gave him the dream was faithful to fulfill it. He trusted in the faithfulness of He who had promised (Heb. 10:23). Though God’s leading didn’t always look like progress, Joseph followed through because he trusted, and because of that, He was able to fulfil destiny.
When life gets tough, trust the faithfulness of God.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8
The instruction in Proverbs 3:5 is easy to miss. It says trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not in your own understanding. That is, sometimes, your understanding may be contrary to what God is asking of you or leading you to. Sometimes, your trust may defy what is logical or normal, like in the case of Joseph—but you must trust still. When you limit your trust in God, based on logic or your what seems reasonable, you will surely miss out on what God can do.
Ever wondered why the apostles and even Jesus sometimes sent people away before performing miracles? I wouldn’t claim to know completely, but I believe trust has something to do with it. In the story of Jairus’ daughter’s death, people mocked Jesus when He said the girl was only sleeping. Jesus was not going to allow their lack of trust hinder His move. So, He sent them out and went in only with those who trusted. We all know how the story ends; the girl is brought back to life and God is glorified (Mk.5). The lesson is simple but key: trust keeps the door open for God to move.
In the end, trust is what holds every promise together. Without it, our obedience wavers. David’s victory, Joseph’s endurance, and even Jesus’ miracles all hinged on trust in God. Life will often present contradictions between what you see and what God has said, but trust will help you overcome.
Simply put, trust is to put your faith into motion by believing despite external pressure, and surrendering even when you’re still unsure. Trust gives God room to move, and when He does, He writes the most beautiful stories.
Faith+blog 