What does it mean to trust God? We (Christians) say it all the time, that we trust God. But what is it we trust God with?
Salvation. Yes. I think most Christians understand this to mean that God has promised them eternal life and they trust God to deliver on this promise.
Forgiveness for their sins. Yes. Again, most Christians understand that at the time of their ‘born again’ experience God has forgiven them the sins they have committed up until that point. They understand that God has promised them this and trust that He will deliver. Somehow though, most of us tend to forget His all encompassing forgiveness and condemn ourselves for the sins we commit that follow our initial consecration.
But what else? What else do we really trust God with or for? Most would say they trust God with their lives, but what do they mean by this? How do they live like they trust God with their lives? How are we to walk in that trust, that faith?
Do we trust God with our jobs? With our kids? With our health? Do we even trust God to keep us, teach us and lead us without our local church? Or pastor? Or fellowship group? Or Bible study?
This question has long been rolling around inside of me, for years. I believe the Holy Spirit asks me this same question every now and then because I need to re-examine it after having been through more testing and teachings of God, in order that these things be established.
I look at the path that brought me to this point, spiritually, in my life. I have to shake my head. There is no other way I would be here, and know what I have learned in the spirit, had God’s grace not brought me here by His own design and intention. I could have been so far gone in any other direction by now. But it was the Holy Spirit turning my heart, little by little, here and there, that brought me to this place and time. I didn’t do it. I didn’t ‘choose’ this or decide to be here.
So I look at what I personally know the Holy Spirit is capable of and have to ask myself “Do I trust God to keep doing that?”, “Do I trust God can do that with others too?”
God delivered me from a 20+ year cigarette smoking addiction. Do I trust He could do that for someone else? Do I trust that God knows what He is doing? Do I trust that God has a plan and purpose and isn’t just waiting for Christians to get their act together so He can start showing miracles and really healing people?
There are some sons of God who enter the dens of sinners and with the eyes, the heart and love of Jesus, they find those the Spirit leads them to and they put an arm around them, they hug them or just touch them, even those with disease and sores. These sons do not fear for their lives. Should they contract something and die, they do so in honor of Him whom they love and obey and seek to serve, because they trust Him. If they do not contract anything and live, they continue in serving Him in any capacity God requests, because they trust Him.
I read of a man who so pressed in to God that while he was alone and having a heart attack, he trusted God and did not seek men for help. For hours he stayed at the foot of Him (Jesus) for whom he chose to live and die, while having this heart attack. If it were God’s will to take him, so be it, he trusted God. If it were God’s will that he should live, so be it, he lives and continues to serve the one whom he loves and trusts.
So let me ask you again, do you trust God? When something happens in your life, big or small, do you trust God?
I think our life course is to be a progression into a full trust of God. Without this trust and full faith in Him to keep us, whether we live or die, suffer or not, have or have not, how is He glorified? Without it, how are we ONE with Him? Without it, how do we hope to attain to the measure of the fullness of the stature of Christ?
