Culture has programmed us not to trust anyone or anything. Every time we turn on the television or browse the internet, we hear about more lies or claims of fake news. As an adult living in today’s world, life can be hard. For those days, I wish I had a built-in GPS to help navigate my life.
Although we may not have physical navigation devices built into our bodies, God did give us His Spirit to help guide us through life. For that reason, we have to learn to trust God in every area of our lives.
- We must trust God when things get hard.
- We need to trust Him when we don’t know what the future holds.
- We have to learn to trust God when we don’t understand.
God is always leading and guiding us by the Word, by His Spirit, and through His people. The problem many of us have is that we listen to what God says, but we do not do what God says. Many of us know God, but we don’t trust Him enough to follow through with the guidance He has given us.
When God gives instruction, we must trust Him enough to do what He says.
Do you trust God or do you tend to make decisions based on your own logic and knowledge?
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.
Proverbs 3:5-6
The Bible tells us to trust God wholeheartedly. Not 50%. Not sometimes. Not only when you feel like it.
Trusting God with our “whole heart” means to trust His guidance over our feelings and desires.
As humans, we make decisions based on our own wants, feelings, and desires. And although our intentions may be good, choosing your own personal desires may not be what God wants for your life.
We must learn to trust God and follow His plans for our life because He will always make the best choice for us.
Let’s pretend you are alone in a room with an adorable three-year-old. What if the three-year-old approaches you with a giant box of candy and asks to eat THE ENTIRE BOX. Do you say yes or no?
Choosing our understanding is like the three-year-old who wants to eat the entire box of candy.
The three-year-old may want to eat the box of candy. The three-year-old may feel the need to eat the candy. Eating the box of candy would make the three-year-old very happy. The three-year-old may have the best intentions in the world to finish the box of candy.
But let’s be honest. In fact, even if the three-year-old started to whine, cry, and throw a tantrum, you would still not allow a three-year-old the eat an entire box of candy. Doing so would be unhealthy and irresponsible.
We have to trust God’s leading, even if what He wants for us goes against our personal desires.
If we want God to lead us and guide us along this journey called life, we have to learn to trust Him every step of the way. If you have learned to trust God this far in your life, increase your faith and trust to go deeper in your relationship with Him.
Here are a few practical ways to learn to trust God:
- Talk with God often. Prayer brings you closer to God. The more you talk with Him, the more you will grow to know His voice.
- Meditate on The Word. Scriptures combat the lies of the enemy. Rehearse scripture throughout the day to remind yourself of what God has promised you.
- Surrender your problems to Him. Give your problems to God. Don’t worry about them, but instead trust Him to provide the answers. Have patience and trust He will provide.
Trusting God may seem hard in the beginning, so just start with one small step at a time. Learning to trust God is an ongoing process that every Christian must learn for his or herself. As we prepare our hearts for 2019, let’s start by making the decision to trust God more and more every day.
Grab your bible, and read the scriptures for yourself to complete today’s Scripture Reading Challenge. What are your thoughts on today’s passage? Share with us in the comments below or head on over to our Facebook page to join the conversation!
