I am constantly wrestling with trust. It’s a delicate feature that we humans are built with. Trust can be built or broken as we move through the rhythms of doing life with people, and more often than not, it becomes more difficult to build the more it is broken.
Here’s why: Broken trust fogs up the lens that we see our relationships though. When we get hurt relationally, it’s a natural defense mechanism for us to just shut the valve of trust that flows between us and others. Trust begins to register with us as a threat instead of a gift. We close ourselves in, shut others out, and though we journey with people, we are truly isolated from having healthy relationships with them. This is not how God designed us to walk through life. We are not made to navigate the becoming journey alone.
A leader and mentor in my life once had a heart-to-heart with me about trust. They spoke something powerful into my life that still resonates today: Learn to trust the God in people. People may fail us, but God never will. He is Sovereign, meaning He is in full control. Powerful enough to bring His desires and plan into existence, God is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). As we trust Him, we can press through any damaged relationships and broken trust we may experience in this life. We can bounce back every time with the understanding that no matter what, our ultimate trust is anchored in our infallible God.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV
In our human understanding, we utilize our past experiences, good and bad, to deal out a measure of trust in any situation. But only operating in that human understanding can really trip us up. God is actively working inside us and in the lives of those around us. If we shift our perspective to look through that lens instead of our own understanding, acknowledging that He is at work and in control, we can trust beyond what makes sense.
Can we believe that He can redeem and restore? Can we see beyond our present circumstance believing that He can bring His will to pass? Can we bank on the understanding that He loves us and wants the best for us?
I have to ask myself questions like these constantly. When I’m faced with a situation that shakes my ability to trust, or old ghosts of past hurt come knocking at my heart’s door, I have to redirect my understanding and lock my eyes on the One who has never failed me and never will. He is the one thing we can place our trust in through it all without fail, and as we learn to trust His Sovereignty we find the strength and resilience to trust others along the journey. We are human––imperfect and in need of a Savior––and we will fail each other. But though the grace of God and His love and plan for us, we can sever the ties of mistrust and do life together, the way God intended.
A prayer for you and I today as we learn to trust again:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13, NIV
