Trust Issues

It's easy in a fallen world to have trust issues. If it is true, as it biblically and demonstrably is, that humans are inclined to evil, then it would be equally true that we might expect that people might hurt us, disappoint us, or worse. So we approach warily. We attach carefully. We hold back cautiously. Trust issues.

It isn't a surprise, then, to see a believing wife reticent to submit to her husband. Put herself in his hands? "Me? Submit to him? He doesn't know enough to come in out of the rain! Just how reliable is he?" It isn't a shock for a Christian husband to hold back the denial of self for his wife called for in Scripture. "Give myself up for her? Who is going to meet my needs?" And on it goes. This can be husband and wife, family, friends ... all the same concept. Trust issues.

So we go through life taking good care of ourselves because we're not sure who we can trust to do that for us. Trust issues. Except, as it turns out, it isn't other people that we aren't trusting. It's God who said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Heb 13:5) It's the God about whom Paul declared, "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content" (Php 4:11) because "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." (Php 4:13) It's the God whom Scripture assures us "works all things according to the counsel of His will." (Eph 1:11) Paul told the Philippians, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (Php 4:6) "In everything." Therefore, he could guarantee them, "My God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Php 4:19) Paul wrote, "We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." (Romn 8:28) If that were true -- if we actually knew that -- how different would our responses and attitudes look?

Our very real trust issues plague us constantly. It is true that humans aren't always trustworthy. Even the best of us will let people down at some point or another. But it isn't people that God asks us to trust; it is Him. We look to others to give us what we need and they fail, but Christ asks us to look to Him. We expect things from our spouses or our family members or our friends and when they don't deliver, we get wary, but God asks us to look to Him. Our very real trust issues are not with them; they're with Him. And He never fails.