Trust

**Well, here we are – another week with more people  being struck by this virus and more restrictions on our lives.  The restrictions are all being ordered out of necessity and for our protection.  We need to be taking this virus and the restrictions very seriously, because regardless of age, race or gender, no one is 100% immune.  Following the recommendations/orders given by our leaders can literally be the difference between life and death.    

I know very well that many of us have trust issues with our government leaders and for good reason.  But we cannot be armchair quarterbacks when it comes to something as serious as what the world is now facing.  Our leaders are in positions to see the big picture, know lots of details that we could never see. We have got to trust them.  However, our trust cannot be 100% in other humans, regardless of how good their intentions.

Again this week I was going to write something new in light of what we are experiencing.  But, while looking through my notebook again, I found this article and believe it fits where we are right now pretty well.  So I am going to share this with you.**

What and who do you trust – really trust?  Is your trust placed with other people?  With your finances? With your job? With possessions?  Or, is your trust placed in God?

Of course, as we go through life we certainly have to have trust in other people. What kind of life would it be if we were filled with distrust and suspicion at every corner and for every person?  However, by putting our trust first in God things will go much better for us.  Trusting in God will help us to be much wiser – it will help us to then put our trust in the people that are trustworthy, the ones that deserve our trust.  Trusting in God will help us to keep our priorities in order so that we do not place our trust in things that can become disproportionately important to us – such as money, our career and possessions.

With trust in God, we do not have to worry or be fearful.  We can be confident and expect blessings.

Consider these verses from Jeremiah 17:5-8 (NLT):

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.  They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.  They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.’”

These verses are a strong reminder to us that other people will break our confidences and they will hurt and disappoint us.  Things can be taken away and leave us empty. But, with God we can spread our wings (and our roots) and be blessed – we only need to fully trust Him.

Written by Karran Martin – July 31, 2019 – Edited March 21, 2020