Can I Trust God?

Can I trust God?  I suppose most of us would not ask that question - at least not out loud.  But by our actions, is this what we are asking?  Proverbs 3:5-7 reads, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil." (NIV) 

What does it mean to trust God?  Is it merely believing that God will take care of us in some abstract way?  Or, does it mean something deeper?  When I read this passage from Proverbs I come away with more than just an abstract, distant notion of trusting God. 

Trusting God is more than merely believing that in some vague way God will take care of me.  Rather, it is the convinction that God has my best at heart.  His principles and guidelines (and, dare I say, rules?) are there so that I can avoid the pitfalls of life and be a happier person.

If I trust God, I don't have to lean on my own understanding.  Leaning on my own understanding can be pretty scary really.  Afterall, no matter how hard I try increase my knowledge and understanding of the world around me, both will always be finite.  That's not to say I should not try to learn and grow intellectually, rather its just a humble and truthful observation.  I'm limited; God is not.  If I try to make it on my own I will always be doomed because I cannot always see or grasp the road ahead.

Life many times can be like chess.  A great chess player can discern his or her opponent's move several steps ahead.  He or she can alter or continue the strategy for success based on what he or she is able to perceive is coming.  Few chess players are always right, however.  Most cannot claim infallibility in their vision.  But at the end of the day, the chess player goes home unharmed by the outcome of his or her moves on the board (except perhaps for a bruised ego).

Life is much harder.  Real damage can occur with wrong decisions.  Words spoken rashly, deeds done in haste, and even actions after careful thought, can all lead to poor endings.  They can hurt relationships, lead to physical pain, or rip open emotional scars.  The ones who suffer might be those who are doing the action or even innocent bystanders.

But if I trust in God, and lean on His word, principles, and yes, even rules, I can avoid so much.  Why?  Because as an all knowing and all loving God, He has provided all of us with the basic information we need to make right decisions.  Some of our decisions are grande in scope and others are minute in daily detail.

I can choose to nourish and cherish my wife.  That will lead to one set of outcomes.  Or I can choose to use kind words with my co-workers which will lead to another set of outcomes.  If I trust in God it means I endeavor each moment of each day to follow God's principles. I know that by doing so, I can have peace and happiness in life. 

I can know that God is trustworthy for a number of reasons.  One of which is to ask the question, "does it make sense that God loved the world so much that His son took the form of man to suffer and die on my behalf, yet failed to communicate how I should live?".  Doesn't make much sense.  Has God demonstrated that by following His principles or failing to do so, His people in past generations have either found good or bad consequences respectively?  Yes, I can read their stories in the Old Testament, for instance.  Can I see for myself the trouble I get in when I lean on my own understanding, but seem to find better things when I buckle down and humbly follow His word?  Yep, sure enough, I can see the distinction.

I can find what God wants by following His word.  It is universal.  I just need to trust Him.
That's how Christianity works.

benbrookchurchofchrist.com