Over the last several weeks, a common question and theme has been trusting in God. We have gone over several topics, but still the questions from challenges often end up being about trusting Him. So how do we trust in Him more? How do we build that trust in our minds?

First, we need to identify the reason that we don’t trust Him in the first place. This is a stronghold in our minds that keeps us further from God, and it is a deeply rooted one for most people. Trusting God over ourselves is the thing that almost every human being struggles with and ultimately the reason a lot of people don’t follow God.

“If I trust Him in this, I don’t know what will happen or where to go next.”

This is the thing that if we really think about it stops most of us from trusting. It comes from fear. We don’t know what will happen and we are afraid that if we trust in this thing we don’t know the outcome or we don’t know where it will lead next. We can’t see what is on the other side. And this fear is ultimately wrapped up with a form of pride as well. We want to control our lives and know each step so that we can protect ourselves from harm, whether that is physical, mental, or emotional. This is human nature. None of us want to let someone run our lives because no one knows what we want or don’t want better than us.

When it comes down to it, we want to do what we want and don’t want to have to do something we don’t want. Which is why we don’t want to trust and follow God because he might make us do something that makes us uncomfortable or that we don’t want to do.

An example that I know is silly but it has helped me, is to imagine a toddler on a car ride to the park. They can’t really see out the window very well and they just kinda get driven along by their parents. Yet, they trust that after they get in that car they are going to the park. The parents could have lied and really they are going to the doctor, or they could have gotten lost along the way and you just drive around for a while and never go to the park, or maybe the car broke down and they had to stop somewhere else. Any number of things could happen and that toddler has no control in the situation and is completely powerless to do anything but sit in the car seat and wait to get to the park. Yet, they still trust because they have learned that if they get in the car and mom and dad tell them they are going to the park, that’s what is going to happen.

In the same way, God has promised us our park. The end goal is eternity in paradise and endless joy and happiness. God has promised that all things will work out for the good of those who believe, according to his purposes (Romans 8:28). We know that God has promised us that we will have a good life and a life lived to the full (John 10:10). We know these things are true and trustworthy, yet we aren’t like that toddler who just blindly trusts. We get stuck in the lies we hear that maybe Paradise isn’t as nice as we thought, or maybe the good God has for me isn’t what I want it to be, or the full life God promises isn’t as fun or comfortable as we wanted it to be.

We let life and lies overcome the truth we know, and it’s so bad that we don’t even recognize the lies we hear as lies. We don’t even think about them anymore, we just do what we do without really even thinking most of the time.

So, how then do we begin trusting him more? 

We have to break down the stronghold in our minds that says we have to be in control and we have to know what is happening. And we have to trust that we are in good hands. We need to replace that stronghold with the truth that God will provide for us and that He wants our good and that He will lead us well.

The first step is a simple answer, but it’s difficult in practice. We need to be reminded of who God is and why we can trust Him. We do that by reading His word and studying it. We have to see the character of God and start to see that He can be trusted based on His track record. 

Imagine you called an electrician and two showed up. One gave you a list of all the times he has done this fix and he has certifications and a degree and has proven over and over that he can and will do this. And the other tells you he has never done any electrical work and he has no history in being able to fix wiring, but he thinks he probably could work it out. Which one are you choosing? We choose the person who is proven to come through and has proven that they can help. In the same way, God has proven Himself time and time again that He can be trusted to provide, love, and help us no matter the circumstances.

The next step is to make it more personal. We have done a few different challenges that required you to think back on your own life and how God has worked. These things are good to remind ourselves in the moments when we are struggling to trust because they can remind us of the fact that He hasn’t failed us before and He won’t this time either. 

The last and hardest part about trust, is that we never begin to trust naturally. We have to just do it and build on it each time. Just like with people we meet, we aren’t going to immediately trust a random stranger off the street, but over time when you know someone you trust them more and more by offering little bits of trust in small moments until they are someone you trust fully. But at the beginning it starts with a leap of faith by one of the people and offering a small amount of trust.

We have to approach our relationship with God the same way. In order to begin trusting Him more, we have to be willing to take a leap of faith by trusting He will come through, so that we can begin to trust that He will come through in all things.

Question: 

What are three verses that can help remind you of God’s character and why he is trustworthy?

Challenge:

• Identify three specific areas you struggle to trust God with.
• Identify a baby step you can take in trusting Him in each of those areas.
• Take those steps and write down the outcome. Was it positive, negative, no impact? Was it difficult to trust or did you find once you did it, it was easier?