You can click HERE to read the passage.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled”
Well certainly the disciples had a lot that could give them heart trouble. They had left their jobs to follow an itinerant preacher around. Jesus had told them about His imminent death. One of them would betray Jesus. One of them would deny Jesus. I suspect my heart might be a bit troubled also. Jesus went on to say, “Trust in God, trust also in me.”
So on what basis, at the most troubling time of their lives, were the disciples supposed to trust in God? For that matter, how are we supposed to trust God when it seems like our world is crumbling around around us.
Here are a few trust-isms that have come to mind as I have pondered on this:
1) I trust those that I know well. For instance I trust my wife. I have a 35 year history with her. I know that she will do what she says. She is a woman of integrity and has shown herself to be trustworthy over the years. If we have trouble trusting God it may be that we don’t really know Him as well as we should. I know that in my own life He has demonstrated over and over that I can trust my life to Him. Because I know Him, even when life is hard I know that He is still in control and walking with me every step of the way.
2) I trust those whom I trust, trust. I know that sentence sounds kind of funny but here’s what I mean. I have a friend who is great at fixing stuff and has fixed lots of stuff for me because I am a fix-it klutz. I have tremendous trust in him. But if there is something that he cannot do I will ask for a recommendation of someone who can do it. And almost always I will go with his recommendation. Because I trust him, I trust those that he would trust. In the same way, I know that I can trust God because people who I have complete trust in have shown me that they trust Him even when, and especially when, they are in crisis mode. Because I trust them, and they trust Him, I can trust Him. Kind of like the math principle: if a=b and b=c then a=c.
3) I trust God because I know that I can’t trust myself . I am often reminded (by my own actions and thoughts) that my “heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9). If it were up to me I would always choose the easy way. I would look out for #1. I would always make decisions based on what is best for Me Me Me. Because if I did not or could not trust God, it would all be about me. And if there were no God to trust, why it shouldn’t it be. But because God has shown me that there is a better way to live – a way that brings me satisfaction and joy and purpose and hope – I can’t help but to put my trust in Him.
“Trust is not a passive state of mind. It is a vigorous act of the soul by which we choose to lay hold on the promises of God and cling to them despite the adversity that at times seeks to overwhelms us.”
― Jerry Bridges, Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts
“Father, I am very grateful that You are a God that I can trust. And I know that even when life seems out of control that You are still in control and I can find peace and joy in the midst of craziness.”
Next Week’s Passage: John 14:15-31