trust
[truhst]–noun
2.
confident expectation of something; hope.
Last night I went to Frontline Arlington, a ministry for young adults through McLean Bible Church, and the message was so very pertinent to my life and what I see God is trying to teach me. The sermon centered around trusting God, and how Christians develop that complete trust in God's ultimate plan for us. It is part of a series they are doing called "Make it Count," which is based on the premise that Christians should be seeking to live their lives to make them count for what matters most: God's glory and furthering his kingdom.
So...how does one go about doing this? First, we must have willing hearts. We come before God and say, "Here I am, take me; use me for your name and your fame." Then, we have to trust that God is going to answer our prayer to use us for his purposes--to "make our lives count." How often do we pray faithlessly, and then find ourselves surprised when we see God answer a specific prayer? For me, it's too often, I'm sad to admit.
In order to live a bold life for Christ, we must trust in the POWER of Christ. We must dispel our doubts and truly cling to the promises of God. We must work at developing the trust needed to live boldly for Christ, and there are a few ways in which trust is developed.
Trust is developed through difficulty. In times of trial and hardship, when we feel that we are at our wit's end we turn to God, because we see so much more clearly how he is the only one we can truly trust. And how lucky for us, because as Christians, we are promised difficulties in this world; so we will have many opportunities to develop our trust in the power of Christ.
"Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
God's will is almost never easy. It is in the difficult moments that God is teaching us to trust him, to surrender control, to acknowledge his sovereignty and goodness, and to believe what he has promised us. Our trials bring about a greater good. In this we should ultimately find joy.
"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." (James 1:2-4)
Again, God's will is almost never easy. He will ask us to be bold in our faith by taking a great leap of faith. We can see this in many instances throughout the Bible, and each time God asked his servant to do something difficult, they responded by questioning how they could do such and thing and denying their ability to fulfill his request. And every time God answered, "I will be with you." ("Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.") With God at our side, nothing is impossible. We don't have to be able to do anything in our own power, because it is God's power that works within us...we just have to trust it.
Trust is developed through weakness. We trust God when we are in way over our heads; when we have no other choice, because we are forced to. In our weakness we find God's strength being made perfect. And when we only search for and allow things in our lives that we can handle on our own, we are limiting God, his POWER, and his greater plan and purpose. God is asking me (and every other Christian in the world) to trust him wholly, completely, with EVERYTHING in my life-- not just with the things I want to and not just with what's easy. Nope. He says EVERYTHING. I am realizing that for so long I have not been truly trusting God with everything. The terms of my trust in God have been largely dictated by me, and they have not included all areas of my life. There are things that I want to remain in control of, but in doing that I am missing out on so much. God has so much more planned for me than I am allowing him to work out in my life, because I choose to hold the reins at times. I must surrender and TRUST.
Christianity is all about God doing in us, for us, and through us, more than we could ever imagine and what we could never do on our own. Case in point: the gospel. We couldn't save or redeem ourselves; God did it for us and in us, and chooses to go above and beyond by working through us to reach others. We have God's power within us. Paul's life is a great example for us in how he truly trusted God's power and lived boldly in his faith as a result:
"So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship with Christ. That's why I work hard and struggle so hard, depending on Christ's mighty power that works within me." (Colossians 1:28-29)
In our difficulties we develop trust, in our weakness we develop trust, and finally through worship we develop trust. Worship is our response to who God is. When we meditate on the character of God, we know that we can put our total trust in him, and that we should do so. Worshipping God for how amazing he is motivates us to live our lives to "make it count" and be bold in our faith. And being bold for Christ doesn't mean that we don't have fears, worries, or hesitations, it just means that we are willing to trust God and take a leap of faith to live for the renown of God.
Boldness for Christ starts with trust in the power of Christ.
"You must trust Me wholly. This lesson has to be learnt. You shall be helped, you shall be led, guided, continually. The children of Israel would long before have entered the Promised Land -- only their doubts and fears continually drove them back into the wilderness. Remember always, doubts delay. Are you trusting all to Me or not?
I have told you how to live and you must do it. My children, I love you. Trust My tender Love. It will never fail you, but you must learn not to fail it.
Oh! could you see, you would understand. You have much to learn in turning out fear and being at peace. All your doubts arrest My work. You must not doubt. I died to save you from sin and doubt and worry. You must believe in Me absolutely."
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