Trust Factor

Trust. The Word of God tells us to trust Him. Trust God regardless of the circumstances, trust Him. The word trust is a fickle little five letter word. Let’s look at the trust factor in an analogy of taking a trip in our automobile. Trusting God when we are driving down the road and the guardrails are in place on both sides of the road, protecting us from a steep and dangerous fall is easy. We trust God when our car has had a check-up at the station, oil has been changed, and our tires have been certified ready to roll. We find God trustworthy when we are able to stop along your trip and fill our bellies, fuel our tank, and purchase snacks for the remaining leg of our journey. When our GPS is signaling our right hand turns and our "exit two miles ahead" alert, we confidently trust that God is in control of technology, our finances, and our unfamiliar journeys. But, are these actually examples of trust? Is trust even an issue when our route is clear and our resources are plentiful? 

 

We are grateful, or at least we should be grateful, when our journey is smooth. Yet, the true test of faith comes when the conditions are not so favorable. What happens when we lose connectivity and suddenly our life's GPS is out of working condition? We make a few wrong turns and suddenly we are lost. How quickly do we change our tune and yell out, "God, how or why would you let me get lost? Why did you forsake me? I thought you cared about me and promised to always take care of me and watch over me?" When our car breaks down or we have a flat tire, do we ever go as far as to blame God for what is happening to us? Do we cry out in our suffering and ask God for an explanation? "Why God? why is this happening to me/my family?" I take care of my car, I do the required maintenance, so why would You allow me to experience such a breakdown as this?"

 

How do we fair on the trust factor when our resources are thin or inadequate? What about when we are hungry, cold, or lost, and we just don't believe we can move forward? Do we feel abandoned? Has God forsaken us? The answer to that question should be obvious, but often times this is where our trust factor tends to fall to the weak end of the spectrum. If we truly have placed our trust in God, and our faith holds tight to that trust even in times when it would be easy to lose our faith, we come to realize that God is faithful and He is with us regardless of whether our life's automobile is sitting on the curb. 

If we trust God, then we realize that when we are weak then that is when He is made strong in us. “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” II Corinthians 12:10. Our faith guides us as we trust that God's ways are not our ways, and that we can't think in the width or depth of the plans that God has for each of our lives. It is inconceivable for we are not capable, that is why God is God of all things, our thoughts, our circumstances, our bodies, minds, and yes, our souls. "...the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." I John 4:4. 

 

When trials and tribulations come and they will, we must trust that God has a plan and, in most cases, His plan isn't about us, but instead what we can do to serve others for God through our life's trials and tribulations. His promise is that He will be with us and support us to carry out His will if only we trust and believe! "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. Take heart, God is faithful and we can trust that He will never leave us nor will He ever forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)

 

My prayer for you today is that you will deepen your trust factor and place your faith in God, because He is worthy to be trusted! What can you do through your trials and tribulations that will allow you to focus more on how you can help someone else and thus take the attention off yourself. Once you find that place of service, you will find the strength that only God can provide and through that strength you will fortify your faith and grow your trust!

Coach Carter