Trust is a remarkable quality to exercise.
Giving someone or something a great deal of confidence in a given matter or area of life to produce a desired outcome is not something to belittle or easily dismiss. It’s amazing seeing that exercise of trust when a small child will play with a parent and fall in their arms or jump into them. There is no inhibition. There is seemingly no concept of fear or trepidation. There is a gleeful and fearless abandonment as they leap because they will be caught, they will be safe and they will find comfort and even joy.
As they grow older that fearlessness and glee subsides to caution and restraint. Experiences and the given responses to them conditions us and cultivates a tendency to be wary of extending such trust. It remains easier to say we love someone than to trust them. Even though a great expression of love is seen in trust.
With such concern and reservation trust is not given easily or wholeheartedly. Questions buzz around whether it’s really worthwhile investing any degree of confidence.
Then you are introduced to the Creator of the Universe. You are introduced to Him and read about Him. You are told about Him and given stories about His impact in the lives of others. You’re told about the good news about Him and invited to form a relationship with Him. The basis of that relationship though is trust. You are invited to trust Him.
But you’re not sure.
You hear the wonderful stories about Him. Told about the justice and mercy that saw the Son crucified and yet death defeated. But you’re not sure.
You see people excitedly share the change in their lives because of Him. But you’re not sure.
You even have experiences that touch a part of you that’s not tangible and you know there’s something more to it than just a fleeting feeling. But you’re not sure.
This does not deter Him, though, because you can trust Him. You can trust Him to do amazing and awesome things in your life. You can trust Him. You can trust Him to deliver and heal, to lift up and to mend, to restore and to forgive. You can trust Him. You can trust Him to defend and to liberate and protect, to provide and provoke, to challenge and to console.
Even in the darkest hour of loss you can trust Him to be righteous, just and holy. Even in the painful hour of despair, you can trust Him to be present and offer the presence of peace. Even in the gut wrenching hour of betrayal and misunderstanding, you can trust Him to be your shield and help in that time of trouble.
He does not guarantee all your prayers being answered just as you wanted. He does not ensure you will avoid pain and distress. He does say that through all of that – you can still trust Him.
He still rules over the affairs of man. He is still King over everything. There may be the last gasps of the old regime of death, decay and destruction – but their time is coming to an end. You cannot trust them to be the rule that lasts forever. For there is something greater ahead that overcomes all the despair and the tears that fall today. There is Someone greater within who speaks living hope into what appears to be a dying situation.
You can trust Him. However unsure you feel today. You can trust Him.
(Photo by lauren lulu taylor on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 