Trust in God

Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him (John 14:6-7, NIV).

Most people can tell I grew up with brothers. One of my favorite things to do to my co-workers is a random trust fall. I’ll wait until they’re about to walk past me, I’ll mumble “trust fall” and then I’ll fall backwards, hoping they’ll catch me. I’ve learned pretty quickly who will actually try to catch me, and who will just step back and force me to rescue myself.

My point is this: through experience and repeated exposure, we quickly learn what, and in whom, we can place our trust. And even the best trust fall partners will fail us at times. It takes time to get there, but the best decision we could ever make is to place our trust in God. 

One of the reasons I know which co-workers will try to catch me is because I know them well. The same is true for putting our trust in the Lord. That’s why the Bible is the most important tool in our lives. Not because it teaches us more about who we are, but it shows us who He is.

When I first started reading the Bible, I thought it was going to help me change, and become a better version of myself. It certainly has, but not for the reason I expected. Reading the Bible reminds us, as it says in John 14:6-7, that knowing Jesus is how we come to know the Father:

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.’”

How do we increase our trust in something or someone? By knowing them more. When we spend time in God’s word, we begin to know Jesus intimately, and through Him, the Father. When we study the words of truth in the Bible, head knowledge becomes heart knowledge. 

One of the reasons writing is so helpful for me is that it takes God’s Word and it makes it real. It allows my head knowledge to become heart knowledge. When I write about stories in my life, I’m always reminded of God’s goodness. The Elevation Worship song “Trust in God” says:

“I sought the Lord, and He heard, and He answered.” 

Though it may not be in the timing or way in which we desire, when we seek the Lord, He hears, and He will answer. Experience with Jesus has taught me to place my trust in Him alone. 

Like my co-workers who fail me during a trust fall, anything human will fail and disappoint us at times. But when we place our trust in God, He will never fail, and we will never truly fall.