Three good reasons to trust God
written by Anja Scholl, editor CBN Deutschland
Trust is good, control is better – according to a German saying. But how much do we have under control? Does a healthy lifestyle guarantee good health? Do we always have good relationships by treating others well? Does hard work always mean wealth? No. If there are no guarantees, isn’t it a good idea to confidently give our wishes and desires to the one who has them in his hands?
Trust is risky. Those who trust make themselves vulnerable. You make an emotional advance with no guarantee of fulfillment. And if this trust is not fulfilled or even abused, the disappointment is even more painful. Trust therefore requires courage. And it needs self-confidence. Do we dare to endure disappointment?
Our history has a great influence on our ability to trust. People with good experiences find it easier to trust than people with a lot of bad ones. Contrary to the saying, time does not heal ALL wounds and we must take action ourselves. Even if we are disappointed in God. Perhaps because we have been praying for years or even decades for something that has not yet been fulfilled.
Trust can be learned even under difficult conditions, but that is also up to us. Even if we don’t feel like it at all, we can decide to trust. However, there must be good reasons for such a decision. So, let’s take a look at three biblical reasons to trust God.
God loves us.
The Bible is a single story of God’s love for us (e.g. 1 John 4:16; John 3:16; Romans 5:5; and many more) God’s greatest proof of love is that he sent his Son Jesus into this world so that we can be reconciled with God (loosely based on 1 John 4:9-10).
God wants good things for us.
He loves to bless people and gives them presents. In addition to the greatest gift, Jesus, he also gives the fruits of his Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience and more (Galatians 5:22 f.). And Romans 8:28 promises God’s children: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” This verse can be painful for people who have been waiting a long time for their prayers to be answered. If God gives us good things, why doesn’t he give what I’ve been praying for? Why doesn’t he heal? We often have no answer to this question. Sometimes we can understand it retrospectively. But even then, we have reason to trust God, because:
God knows best.
He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows everything that happens in this world and He is in control. He himself says in Isaiah 55:8: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
God does not have to prove himself to us. As the creator of this world, he has all authority. As a rule, we trust professionals (e.g. doctors, consultants, cooks or craftsmen) to know what they are doing. Why don’t we attribute the same expertise to God? Trust grows slowly. It grows with every good experience. However, our leap of faith is necessary first. We will not understand every decision he makes. But God will prove to be trustworthy if we put our trust in him.
