The Unnatural Trust

“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” –Job 13:15

There is no faith more remarkable than that of a child’s.  They put complete trust in their parents.  They do not worry (nor should they) whether food will be on the table, or if the bills are paid; they have their faith in trust in their guardians.  In the good times and the bad, they trust….adults, not so much.

The older you get, the more you learn, and the less you understand.  The scripture tells us that the cares of this world can choke the Word.  This covers a lot of ground.  In Samson’s case, the cares could mean the things that you care for, the things you put ahead of God.  Your selfish wants and desires.  These lead you out of the will of God and choke his divine instruction from your life.  The cares also, could be (and I am sure not limited to), legitimate responsibilities and basic necessities that you must provide for yourself and household; food, clothing, shelter, etc.  The cares are those you care for in this life.  Your family, friends, sons and daughters.  Those you love and those that are put in your care.  Not limited to, but certainly, it is anything and everything that is natural and can be taken away.  Job lost everything, and he had everything in this life.  God proved him, and Job’s faith and trust in God carried him thorough the darkest of days.  In this Job left an example for us, the silver bullet to fretting, worrying, and cares; trust.  Incomprehensible, unnatural, radical trust in Almighty God.  When things are not what they should be, trust.  When the world is not where you think it ought to be, trust.  When you are afflicted, tormented, and rejected; we must put our faith and trust in God saying as Job “though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.”  Total resignation to the will of God and absolute abandonment of your own will, this is not a natural trust, but it is vital.  This is the path of the Christian, and the antithesis to the binding cares that would creep in and darken your soul.

Trusting in God is easy to say, but not always so easy to do.  It comes natural to children, but in adulthood, for most, it does not.  It is not for me to say that it is a learned behavior but certainly it is something we can work on.  The Bible says “he will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee.”  It also says, “casting all your care on him for he careth for you.”  When you are forgiven God wipes away all past sin.  Then you must give your all to God trusting in him for the first time and he will then send his Spirit and sanctify you.  You are then in perfect peace, and this relationship of trust begins.  To maintain that, we must keep our mind on him and “rework” our thinking to cast our cares instead of hoard them.  Whatever comes up in life, take it to the Lord in prayer and give it to him.  When you do, he will take care of you and it will increase your faith.  This is not a one-time occurrence but a daily exercise. In this we trust God and learn to trust God.  We come as children, and continue with childlike faith.  This is the sanctified life, a life of faith and trust, and it brings with it glorious liberty.