Proverbs 3:5-6 (CSB)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.
If you struggle with trust issues, don't worry; you're not alone. But unlike your Wi-Fi, which goes down at the most inopportune times, God is always faithful and worthy of your complete trust. So let's take a few moments and talk about three ways you can cultivate a deep and rich trust in God.
1. Knowing God: It's Not Just “Jesus Loves Me”
Exodus 34:6-7 (CSB) "The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed: The Lord—the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth."
To truly know someone, you must have life experience with them. When you've been through the ups and downs and zigs and zags of life with someone, you get to know who they truly are. At this point, you can determine if you can genuinely trust someone. People often say they trust God, but I wonder if they really even know His character. Have they been through the ups and downs and zigs and zags of life while trusting and leaning on Him alone? The Bible isn't some dusty old religious book; among other things, it's a character profile of who God is, containing the principles of what it means to live in His Kingdom.
2. Doing the Will of God: It’s Not a To-Do List
Romans 12:2 (CSB) "Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God."
Whatever you do, refrain from doing the will of God like checking off items on a to-do list. If you do, you’re disregarding the relational aspects of doing God's will. There are robots that can check off a to-do list. Kingdom living is based on a relationship with the King of Glory. As you seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, you will naturally build a trusting, loving relationship with Him that will transform your life (Matthew 6:33). As He is transforming you into His image, you will become an agent of transformation that is taking salt and light into a dark and dreary world (Matthew 5:13-16).
3. Kingdom Reliance: It’s All or Nothing
Matthew 22:37 (CSB) "He said to him, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'"
Imagine someone skydiving without a parachute and hoping to land on a pile of marshmallows. Ridiculous, right? Yet how many Christians live like that, holding on to their little parachutes of control, money, or relationships? Proverbs 3:5-6 (CSB) instructs us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight." We struggle with the “all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding” part of that verse. We can give part, some, or maybe even most of our hearts. But to trust with “all,” that takes supernatural faith that only comes from the life-transforming work of the Holy Spirit.
When we trust God partly, we will only know Him partly. To fully know God, we must fully trust God. The Bible makes it very clear that following Jesus requires everything. We must be willing to die to our own purposes and identity before we will ever know His Kingdom purpose and identity in Christ. If we want to live the resurrected life, we must keep in mind that something must die before there's a resurrection. And what must die? Our self-will, our selfish desires, and any pursuit of building our own kingdom.
So, what’s it going to be—your kingdom or His Kingdom? Are you free-falling, hoping to land on a pile of marshmallows? Or are you going to take up your cross and follow Jesus, trusting Him with all your life (Luke 9:23)? As you seek first the Kingdom of God, you will be cultivating a deeper trust and understanding of who God is. You will come to know His faithfulness, sovereignty, and goodness in ways that will transform your heart beyond your wildest imagination. And you may also find that those trust issues will begin to fade as you become more attuned to Kingdom living.