Trust

A dear friend and I were having a conversation this week, and in a moment of vulnerability, he shared, “If I’m being real, I have been following Jesus for several years, and yet I am bad at trusting God. My life growing up was too complicated and hard, and because of that, I can’t seem to trust Him completely even now.”

I was so grateful for his refreshing transparency. After our conversation, I began to think about what actually goes into trusting someone. In my online search, I stumbled upon an article that summarized it well. The author states that the four elements of trust are: consistency, compassion, communication, and competence. 

If we look at the issue my friend brought up about not trusting God and then look at those four elements of trust, the next question we can ask ourselves is, “Can we trust God?” Let’s see what Scripture has to say about it.

Is He Consistent?

“The Lord, our God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” 
Hebrews 13:8

“Lord, your constant love reaches the heavens; your faithfulness extends to the skies.” Psalm 36:5 

“For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” Malachi 3:6

Is He Compassionate?

“The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.” Psalms 145:8-9

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18 

Does He Communicate?

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:3

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:27-28

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20

Is He Competent?

“Good and upright is the Lord…” Psalm 25:8

“The Lord! The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4

“As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the Lord is tested; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.” 2 Samuel 22:31

God has proven Himself to be trustworthy over and over again. It’s not always easy to take the plunge into trusting Him completely, but trust will soon grow if we allow these Truths to settle in and take root in our hearts, souls and minds.

I’m so grateful for my friend questioning his faith because it made me double down on who God is in my own life. If you are struggling with trusting God, please email me at shawn@intentionalmerch.com so I can pray with you. 

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17

We are in this together!
In His service and at yours!
~Shawn