Woman to Woman: Do You Trust God?

I had a conversation recently with a colleague struggling with a decision. As a believer in Jesus Christ, they talked a good deal about how much prayer they expended on this issue but still hesitant about which way to go.

They rehearsed all the pros and cons for me, going over everything in detail and yet they simply feared taking the step of making the final decision.

Upon asking them if they had faith in God's love and care for them, they firmly responded they had complete faith in God.

Puzzled, I finally asked if they had faith in God's love and care for them, then why they still feared making the final decision.

Shockingly, they responded they were unsure if God would "come through" with the expected outcome.

"Ah", I said, "so the problem is you believe God is capable, but you don't trust Him".

"We are not necessarily doubting God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be."

C.S. Lewis

Faith vs. Trust

Though we often use faith, belief, and trust interchangeably, they are not the same.

Faith is believing something (or someone) without visible proof. (Hebrews 11:1)

Conversely Trust is acting on that faith; it shows we fully believe in the reliability and integrity of the person we entrust with our situation.

Identifying completely with my friend’s dilemma, I admitted my own struggles with trusting God in certain situations.

Perhaps, like me you come to God in prayer with a need or a difficult situation or decision. The fact that we come to Him shows we have faith in His ability to provide the need or resolve the issue.

But too often it stops short of fully entrusting Him with our lives or situation because we fail to act on our faith.

Instead, like my friend we rehash options for a decision, or figure out a way of meeting the need ourselves. Only to give anxiety free reign, wondering if God heard and will answer our prayer.

And worse, what if He doesn't?

Walking By Trust

If you struggle walking by trust, you are not alone!

I have plenty of "trust issues" with God; I imagine most Christians do. Because trust is scary, involving surrender, giving up control and releasing expected outcomes.

It means when we bring requests, needs, difficult situations or complex decisions to God for help, we let Him decide how He will answer.

And God may not answer the way we want; but we have confidence in knowing He hears us and will do what is only for our ultimate good because He is a good and gracious God.

"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us"

1 John 5:14

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

Ephesians 3:20-21

Imagine how many every day ordinary things you trust without a thought.

Taking the action to set our alarm clock, because we trust it will wake us up.

We take the action to swallow prescribed medication because we trust it will relieve our unpleasant symptoms.

We even take the action of turning on the faucet because we trust hot water will come out.

Yet we do not trust the God of the universe who gave His only Son for our redemption.

"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"

Romans 8:32

Let me encourage you today, God is not only worthy of our faith because He is capable of doing exceedingly more than we ask or think, but He is also worthy of our trust because He hears and will answer every prayer according to His love and good will toward us.

This week take some time to sit with God and let Him know you have trust issues! He is not threatened by your doubts and insecurities. Just like a good parent, He longs to catch you up in His arms and calm every fear.