In God We Trust?

February 5, 2014

I really hated it when people in church would say, “Just trust God. He’ll take care of you.” How dare they give me such a simplistic answer?

Later I discovered the problem wasn’t with God. He was trustworthy. The problem was with me. I simply didn’t know how to trust Him. How could I trust someone I couldn’t even see, much less figure out?

Reams and volumes have been written on this subject, and I have no intention of trying to cover it in that kind of depth. What I will do is share my experiences with you. Everyone is different but we all have to learn to trust Him.

We must believe God knows us and loves us as individuals.

I never believed God could love me as myself. Then I met a new friend at a Malcolm Smith conference. When we both attended a retreat the following year, I met her husband. While getting acquainted I told him some of the unique things I felt God had done in my life. His response was, “That proves God loves each of us individually, not just as part of the cattle call.” I was floored and fighting tears as that truth pierced my heart. You see, he had used the exact phrase I held in my mind: I was just part of the “cattle call” and therefore God had to love me. I hadn’t said it. But God knew. And He planted a seed of trust.

It takes practice to be able to trust God, just as it does with people. You trust with a little and see what happens. And then you do it again. Your confidence grows. You hear His voice in your heart and mind. You learn to trust.

We must believe He has our best interests at heart.

I was freaked out to hear God tell me that He couldn’t take me any further toward my destiny unless I surrendered everything to Him. Of course, I’d heard this taught in church for years.

Ever heard the old hymn, “I Surrender All”? All, it says. ALL? The thought terrified me. It took weeks of building my courage until I could say “yes” to Him. And I did it with eyes squeezed shut and teeth clenched. Then He showed me a picture of what would happen. In my mind’s eye, I saw the cliff I so feared was only about eighteen inches high. Jesus stood below me; He held out his hand to help me step down safely. And I put my hand into His.