Can we trust God?

Often, we wonder if God has abandoned us. Well the simple answer to that is "No." God never forsakes us. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31: 6). Our tendency is to think that the Lord will always protect us from any unpleasant situation, and make our lives without problems. Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. [However,] in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” So we can live in the peace and the joy of the Lord.

There are many times when we wonder if God even listens to our prayers. Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24. The trouble here is the current state of our hearts. Many times we think that God should always give us what we want. The trouble is, what we want may not be what we need. I have always thought of this every time I listen to the Rolling Stones (of all people!) say,

“You can't always get what you want

But if you try sometime you find

You get what you need.”

This is true in the case of our Heavenly Father. He will always give us what we need. Sometimes the answer to our prayer is “No.” We who are human parents understand this well. We would be doing a disservice to our children if we always gave them what they want. They would learn that they can always have their way, and become spoiled brats as adults. The attitude in current society tends to feed this sense of entitlement. More people think that they should strive for everything they want, usually in the form of conspicuous consumption.

Jesus answers this in Matthew when he says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6: 19-21. In other words, make the attitude of your hearts be not of gaining fancy cars, houses, and other indicators of wealth. It’s not that having wealth is a problem. It’s more that some people think that what money can buy will fill an inner emptiness, and this is very simply not the case. Jesus also says:

“…do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? [Yet] not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father[s will]. […] even the hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Matthew 10: 28-31

He also describes how we need to depend on the Heavenly Father to meet needs.

Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles [those who don’t know him personally] seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6: 26-33

Again, the Father knows we need food and clothing and a place to live, etc. but if we make sure that He is the object of our energies, He will make sure we have all that we need. It is not that we don't need jobs and to provide for our spouses and our children, and have all the necessities in this life. It is where our heart is, and what we focus on. If we only focus on the accumulation of wealth and material things, we lose site of the One we truly live for.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. […] Everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Our Father in Heaven is delighted to give us what we need, even as we who are parents give good things to our children. But what the Lord is trying to tell us again, is that we need to seek him, and trust him for all we need. He even gives you the desires of your heart, so that you may use that gift to serve him with that talent.

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.: Psalms 37:4

I’ve heard a story once that illustrates what it means to trust God:

“A tightrope walker gets ready to cross over violent, rushing waters. He looks at a bystander, and asks, ‘Do you believe I can cross the river?’ The bystander says ‘Yes.’ ‘Do you trust me?’ The bystander again says, ‘Yes.’ He says, ‘Then get is this basket and cross the river with me.”

Jesus and Peter also illustrates this as He walks on water, and invites Peter to do the same.

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matthew 14: 25-31

God never lets us down. We just lose sight of the one who loves us. He is always trustworthy:

God is not human, that he should lie,

    not a human being, that he should change his mind.

Does he speak and then not act?

    Does he promise and not fulfill? Numbers 23:19

If we put our faith in God’s goodness, and learn to let Him lead us we will know the joy of the Lord, who is always good.

The steps of a [good and righteous] man are directed and established by the Lord,

And He delights in his way [and blesses his path] Psalm 37:23

God is trustworthy: do you trust Him?