Daily Jewel

by Pastor J.T. Carnell, McAlester, OK
Sept. 26, 2011

“What Do We Really Know About Trust?”
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” – Proverbs 3:4,5

Why is it so hard for people to trust in God? Here are a couple of reasons people typically give. “I have tried to trust God before, and it has never worked out.” “I can’t trust anything that I cannot see or touch or hear.”
Let’s talk about trust. What do we know about it? Trust is part of everyday life. We all trust something or someone every day of our lives. We trust grocery stores to offer us unspoiled and uninfected meats and vegetables. We trust the labels on bottles and cans to be accurate. We trust pharmaceutical companies to manufacture drugs that meet federal specifications. We trust judges to understand the law and to interpret it fairly and consistently. We trust people because they have proven their trustworthiness. Who are the people that have earned the most respect and trust from you? Your parents…Your spouse…Your siblings…Your children…Your pastor…Your best friend…Your counselor…Your business partner…Your CPA…Your surgeon? Do you trust God more than you trust any of these people? (“Yes” is a good answer by the way.) Let’s look at the four divisions of this passage and ask ourselves, “How does this apply to me?” “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” Trust is the practical outworking of our faith. Trust is a giant step beyond theory. Trust is total belief that what God has said, He will do. Trusting in God means that we trust Him in all ways and at all times. “Lean not on your own understanding.” Don’t trust your emotions. Emotions are based on feelings, not facts. Don’t follow Solomon’s example. He failed to live up to his own advice. Our best examples are from scripture. “The Lord gives wisdom and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6)

“In all your ways acknowledge Him.” No area of our lives is exempt. This is not a cafeteria menu, where choosing one entrée over another means nothing at all. “In all your ways” has the same impact as “with all your heart.” Honoring God is what this means. Paul said, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31)

“And He shall direct your paths.” These words commit God to do something big. God has given His word. Obedience will lead to positive results. Always. Once we come to understand what trust truly means and how to apply it – we must learn how to use it. In conclusion, the following may be a good place to start: “Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s Providence.” – Aurelius Augustine
Pastor J. T. Carnell