Trust and Obey

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3: 5, 6

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” The way? There is cause to marvel that there is any way. That there is “a” way gives cause to rejoice. Good news! There is a right way and the Scripture defines it for us. 

There is no promise that it is the EASY way. However, it is the “right” way and ultimately it will prove to be the most gratifying and satisfying.

Therefore, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart….” (Vs. 5a)    

Psychologist Erik Erickson says that the capacity to trust is the very foundation of emotional health. Parents should keep that in mind in rearing their children. A child first learns to trust or mistrust depending on the parent’s reliability or lack of it. 

In a culture where absolutes are few and the mandate for mediocrity is “everything is relevant,” that is, situation ethics prevails, trust comes hard. “How can I trust?” is a legitimate question. Start by finding that which is proven trustworthy.

In reality there are only two objects of trust: God or self. How many times have you promised yourself something and you didn’t deliver? Such as: I am going to stay or my diet. I am going to start studying. Change a habit. Finish a project.

The solution? “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.” Psalm 37:5 

Trust has two aspects. First, there must be the decision to trust. Next, there must be developed the habit of trust. First comes commitment and then comes habitual trust. Trust follows commitment. Trust was a wrestling term. Notice wrestlers. They grab one another and won’t let go. The term actually means to “body slam.” That is not casual contact. It is an impact of consequence. It means to cling to God like tape to paper.

Trust is based on knowledge. “Those who know your name will put their trust in you.” (Psalms 9: 10) The name used for “God” here is “Yahweh,” meaning the “God of Covenant.” By using this title it means He is a faithful God who keeps His promises. To know Him is to love Him. To love Him is to know Him better.

The Hebrew word translated “trust” means “to set ones confidence and hope upon.”

As a wife looked over her husband’s shoulder at his appointment calendar, she said, “God loves you, and everybody has a wonderful plan for your life.” True! There is true joy in finding God’s path and walking it with faith in Him.