Why is it important to trust God?
We live in a world that is so uncertain and volatile. We see wars, diseases, natural disasters and death all around us and these can come to us at any moment. Humanity is looking for someone that they can truly rely on, truly ‘trust’ on to keep them away from all this or to grant them peace despite all this. It is hard to trust human beings. You may trust governments, prominent leaders (political or religious), but it is a matter of time before they will disappoint us. No government or leader has withstood the test of time. They all came and went. So, it is futile to put your trust in men. Bible says, “Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day, their plans come to nothing.” Psalm 146:3,4.
So is there no hope in this world? The answer is YES, there is. The bible says ‘For I the Lord do not change’ (Malachi 6 v 3) and it also says “You (God) will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you” (Isaiah 26 v 3). There is an unchanging God whom you can trust. There is a God who can keep you in perfect peace despite all that may happen around us or even to us. We will look at the reasons God can be trusted, and He only is worthy of our trust.
7 Reasons to trust God
God is omnipotent and sovereign
When we look at the sun, moon, the stars, and the expanse of the universe, we get a glimpse of the all-powerful nature of God. The bible says in Jeremiah 32 v 17, ‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.’ The bible also says in Psalm 46 v 1, ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.’ If we could entrust our lives to this all-powerful God who has promised to be ever-present for helping us, then there is nowhere else we need to turn to in our lives.
God’s Omniscience (God knows everything)
When we look at the intricate designs and variety that characterize the trees, plants, animals, birds and even humans, we get a small glimpse of the depth of the knowledge of God. The bible also says in Psalm 139 v 4, ‘Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all.’ Matthew 10 v 30 in the bible says, ‘But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.’ God knows our thoughts and our physical being so intricately.
To think of the fact this all-knowing God has promised, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’ (Hebrews 13 v 5) gives us all the reasons to put all our confidence on God. Personally, trusting in this wonderful God helps me find hope in this hopeless world. The hope is not because the world will be a better place. The hope is because He is in control of my life despite all that is happening around me. So, I can find refuge and comfort in Him.
God’s Unchanging Nature
The bible says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1 v 17). These words highlight God’s unchanging nature and His faithfulness. It is a fact that human life comprises trials. It is uncertain. Yet, those who put their trust in God can navigate through these uncertainties. God never changes, nor does he change His mind.
A friend I know went through a time when his 10-year-old son was detected with a cancerous tumor in the brain. The lovely boy’s life ended in a few months’ time. I was watching the funeral service and I could see how the father of the boy could recount so many uncertain moments where God had provided for them and strengthened them wonderfully. His faith and love for God grew stronger, despite the deep pain His family was going through. God is unchanging in His faithfulness to those who trust in Him despite the curve balls life throws at us.
Assurance from God’s Word: Promises in Scripture
God’s Word (The bible) is full of so many promises. If we read the bible with an open heart, you can see it everywhere and those promises become personal as we dwell more on the scriptures. I and my wife were going through a very difficult phase of our life after our marriage where we deeply desired for children, but we were not getting what we longed for. We were constantly praying for the matter and seeking God’s guidance on the matter.
One day a man of God visited our home and looked at me and quoted Abraham’s wait for a son from the bible and reiterated to me that, sometimes, God allows us to wait and this waiting is not a waste. He asked me to continue to trust in God. Trusting in the promises in God’s Word gave us hope and assurance during this period of waiting. The waiting in our life continued for another year and a half, before God’s promise was fulfilled and our son Isaac was born.
Experiences of God’s Provision
In this world, we see the human desire to be self-sufficient. But there are moments that life brings us where we realize we are not self-sufficient. I had a fairly good life where I got a college degree, then a job right after my education. Then, leaving my first job, I went for higher education and thereafter I got another job that I desired. I was awaiting the day that I had to join that job. In the interim, my marriage was fixed. Suddenly, out of nowhere, I was informed by my recruiter that they could not honor the job offer they provided to me. Suddenly, the smooth flow of my life came to a grinding halt. What was the next step to be taken? I did not know. I looked for a job and went through 17 unsuccessful interviews. I prayed to God; I trusted in Him, but after repeated failures, all the confidence I had in myself was drained to the last drop. Then, on the 18th interview, God provided a job in the most wonderful manner.
God provided me when I had no hope left in anything else but in God. Till this moment of my life, God’s faithfulness was a theoretical concept. After this incident in my life, it was real and personal. It strengthened my faith in God more than all the years of attending church and hearing sermons about faith in God.
Community of Believers
God created man with an inherent need for fellowship and community. That’s why He designed families and instituted marriage. Much like children need families to develop as human beings, those who believe in God need a community of believers to support and encourage them. A community of believers will enable believers to develop in faith and act as a catalyst in their spiritual growth. The Word of God provides all the means for us to develop in a close relationship with God, but fellowshipping with godly men and women in a community provides with the needed mentoring, provides us with examples that we can imitate.
One person I whom I know was born and brought up in a Christian home, but never had a close relationship with God. He was very successful in a worldly sense and making a lot of money. At a certain point of time in His life, he moved to another city and happened to go into a church where he really received not only good teaching of the Word but also loving mentorship from godly people whose life truly touched him. This changed his life on its head. Today, he serves the Lord as a missionary in an African country.
The Transformational Power of Prayer
To have a meaningful relationship with anyone, it is necessary to talk to that person and let the other person talk while you listen. God talks to us through His Word, through godly people, and through various circumstances. Prayer is the means through which we converse back and tell what is in our heart to God, trusting fully that God will respond. Both are equally important to grow in a relationship with God. As this back-and-forth communication continues with God, it fosters a deep connection with God. As we pray in the light of God’s Word, God sometimes answers by granting what we requested. There are times, He asks us to wait. At times He might say NO. Just like a loving father or mother would have the good of the child in mind and respond to the child’s wishes with Yes, No or Wait.
There are many things in my life as a person that I have received from God. There are many things I am waiting for. But through it all, God is changing me as a person to what He wants me to be. Jesus asked his disciples, “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him?” (Matthew 7:11)
Conclusion
Jesus said, ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.’ (John 14 v 27) In this world that is tumultuous and uncertain, trusting in the faithful and unchanging God enables us to overcome fear and anxiety. It fills us with peace and contentment. It brings a firm foundation in our life that helps us to build meaningful relationships with our friends, neighbors and loved ones. In these meaningful relationships with God and our fellow beings, we will find purpose in life and enable us to live a meaningful life.
So don’t trust in yourself but, learn to trust God. Proverbs 3:5-6 in the bible says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” So, let us trust God and embrace the relationship with God, which begins with us believing in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as our personal Savior.
