Walking with the Wise #8: Heart Trust

“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.”

—Proverbs 3:5-6

Whom do you trust? We all trust in something or someone. For some, it is an idea, others a system, still others trust in their stuff. Some trust in no one but themselves. God desires that we trust in Him, which is not an easy thing to do. Children understand trust, because the entirety of their life is based on it. They trust their parents to feed, take care, change, protect, love, and understand them. They cannot get on by themselves, but need their parents. Somewhere down the line, however, as they grow, they can take care of themselves and reject any help. Trust becomes a word that brings to mind helplessness. And for many of us, we trust only what we can control. If we can’t control it, then we have a hard time trusting in it.

Take flying for a moment. Many of us have a fear of flying. Why? Statistics have shown that people are more likely to die on the way to the airport in a car accident than be killed in a plane crash. And yet we aren’t afraid to get into the car and drive. Why? It may be that our experience in the car has been good, and we have done it frequently enough with success that all fear is gone, or it could be that we have control of the car, but we do not have control of the plane.

We understand the car, but we don’t understand the plane—how it can take off, soar into the sky, and propel us to our destination. The take off, I believe, is what most people have a hard time with. As the plane taxis down the runway and begins to speed up, we are conscious of how small and dependent we are. And then there is the sudden lift, the G-force pushing against our body as the buildings below get smaller and smaller. It’s in that moment that we realize how completely and solely dependent we are upon the plane’s manufacturer, mechanics and pilot. As we continue in flight, our experience will be good or bad depending upon our willingness to cede control to the pilot. If we refuse, then our flight will be filled with anxiety over every bump or loud noise. But if we surrender control to the pilot and rest in their training, experience, and skill, then the flight will go much smoother.

Trusting in God means ceding control to someone much bigger than ourselves. But the metaphor breaks down in that planes do crash, pilots and equipment fail, giving us reason to be somewhat fearful, but God never fails. He will never make a mistake, fail, disappoint, or lead us to a place where He will not go with us. And when we do trust in Him with all of our heart, and commit our lives to His glory, He will direct and bless our lives. It’s a promise directly from God Himself.

Where is your trust? What are you trusting in? Are you trusting in the Lord or yourself? Are you committing your way to Him? Are you seeking His will in all of your life? God wants your heart, not just outward obedience. The heart is the center of our being and guides the rest of our lives, just like the steering wheel of a car. God doesn’t just want the backseat or passenger side of our lives, He wants to be in control of it, directing us where He wants us to go.

For the New Testament believer, our trust is in God’s Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We rest in Him, finding our nourishment, identity, and purpose for life in Him. We do not trust in our own works or skills to save or sustain us. We can find that only in Him. Rest in who God is, beloved, knowing that if God is for you, then no one can stand against you. Amen.