Trust in the Lord

This chapter effectively continues the prior chapter, “Understanding God,” because how well you “trust in” God is intimately tied to how well you understand Him.

WHAT TRUSTING IN THE LORD MEANS

Is your Christian faith[1] rock solid, or are you still tossed and turned by the trials, tribulations, and evil schemes of men (and women) in this world? In addition to prayer, “trusting in the Lord” (see Pro 3:5–6; Psa 4:5; 31:5–6; 37:3–7; 40:3; 115:9–11; 125:1; cf. Luk 23:46; Rom 4:18–22; 2Co 1:9; 4:13–14; Eph 1:13; Php 1:6, 14; 2:24; 1Ti 1:15; 2Ti 2:11; Heb 12:2; 1Pe 2:23; 4:19; Psa 31:5; 56:3, 11; 62:8; 91:2; 146:3–5; Pro 22:19; Isa 55:9; Jer 17:7–8) is a vital component of Christian faith, and a Christian should unconditionally “trust in the Lord” at all times, in all places, and for “all things”[2] (Rom 8:28, 32; 11:36; Mat 19:26; Mar 9:23; 10:27; 11:24; 14:36; 2Ti 2:13) like a child trusts his parents (Mat 11:25–26; 18:3–4)—even for life itself (Rom 14:7–8; Mat 10:29–30, 39; Php 3:7–11; Joh 12:25). God will guide you, teach you, correct you,[3] give you wisdom (Jas 1:5), and lead you in all ways that are holy, righteous, true, and good (Psa 23:3; Rom 12:2) according to His will (Mat 6:10; 26:42).

Consider what “trusting in the Lord” means:

1. Believing deeply in Who and what God is (see the prior chapter and also the “Why We Trust God” list next).
2. Believing every single word written in Scripture (Isa 55:11; 45:23; Num 23:19; Mat 5:18; Luk 16:17; Lam 2:17; 1Th 2:13; 1Pe 1:23; cf. 2Ti 3:16–17)—that God will do everything He has said He will do, which includes all His promises to us.
3. Trusting God even when you don’t understand why things are happening as they are (2Co 5:7). We must realize that we are not God, and we don’t know everything (Pro 3:5; Isa 55:8–11). Things happen for many reasons; sometimes, we just won’t know why on this side of heaven. Sometimes, things happen for our good and for the testing and strengthening of our faith (Jas 1:2–4; Rom 5:3–4; 2Th 1:4; Heb 10:36). Other things may happen for our “discipline” (see 1Co 11:32; Heb 12:5–11; Rev 3:19; Joh 15:2; Psa 118:18; Pro 3:11; 6:23; 12:1; 13:1, 18; 15:32; 19:20, 27). And even further, things may happen to us for the (collective) good of other Christians and the glory of God (Rom 8:28–39; cf. Joh 9:3; Php 1:12–14; Mat 10:29–31; 1Pe 3:12; Gen 45:5; 50:20; 2Ch 16:9; Psa 34:15; 145:18; Pro 5:21; 15:3).[4]

WHY WE TRUST GOD

A Christian “trusts in the Lord” because they understand:

• Who He is: The Lord God Almighty, Creator of the heavens and the earth, is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, eternal, and the one “living and true God” (1Th 1:9; cf. Isa 44:6).[5]
• What He is: He is good, caring, loving, merciful, patient, kind, compassionate, dependable, steadfast, faithful, slow to anger, generous, just, true, righteous, and holy.[6]
• What He has given up: He left His glory in heaven to dwell on earth as a man, living as a humble, sacrificial lamb (Joh 1:14; 6:22–58; Php 2:6–8) and experiencing the temptations of the flesh and this fallen world just like we do (Heb 4:15).
• What He has done: He willingly “gave Himself up for us” (see Eph 5:2, 25; Gal 2:20; cf. Joh 10:11, 15, 17–18; Mat 20:28; 26:53; Isa 53:7–8) on the cross as a ransom to “rescue” and “redeem” us from “the domain of darkness,” where we were in “bondage” and “captivity” to sin, Satan, and death—and headed for judgment (see Gal 1:4; 1Pe 1:18; Col 1:13; Eph 4:8; Joh 8:31–32; Rom 8:2; Gal 4:3).[7]
• What He has proven: Jesus proved that He is God and that He can fully reverse the curse of this world, control nature, heal the sick, raise the dead, and so on.[8]
• What He has promised: He has promised to raise us up to “eternal life” on the “last day”[9] to be with Him in heaven forever, which He described as “Paradise” (Luk 23:43; 2Co 12:3–4; Rev 2:7).[10], [11]
• He created us: For He is God, and we are not.

Furthermore, a Christian “trusts in the Lord” always—

• In times of feast and in times of famine;
• In times of peace and in times of war;
• In times of health and in times of sickness;
• In times of riches and in times of poverty;
• In times of abundance and in times of need;
• In times of joy and in times of sorrow;
• In times of blessing and in times of persecution;
• In the sunshine and in the rain;
• In the warmth and in the cold;
• In times of anxiety and in times of serenity (calm);
• In the big things and in the small things;
• In freedom and in bondage or chains;[12]
• In times of safety and in times of danger;
• When life is easy and when life is hard;
• When enemies surround us and when we are among friends;
• When we see the way forward and when we feel stuck;
• In victory and in defeat;
• In failure and in success;
• In adversity and in blessing;
• When we are strong and when we are weak;
• In times of laughter and in times of sorrow;
• In the morning and in the evening;
• In darkness and in light;
• In life and in death; and
• On earth and in heaven.

EVERY WORD OF SCRIPTURE WILL COME TRUE

It is also important to understand that every single syllable and word of Scripture is there for a reason, and God will keep every promise He has ever made (Isa 40:8; 45:23; 55:11; Num 23:19; Psa 89:34; 119:89–91; Mat 5:18; 24:35; Joh 10:35; Pro 30:5; 1Pe 1:23–25; Hab 2:3; Luk 16:17; 21:33; Lam 2:17; 1Th 2:13; Rom 11:29; cf. 2Pe 1:20–21; 2Ti 3:16–17; Heb 4:13)—His Word will never return void (Isa 55:11; 45:23; cf. 2Ti 3:16–17; Heb 4:12).[13] It will always accomplish what it set out to do, even if it may appear idle or that it won’t, even if it takes a long time (Hab 2:2–3).[14] In fact, we may not see the results of His promises in our lifetime, but they will still come to pass.[15]^, [16] Therefore, we trust in God, knowing that even “if we are faithless, He remains faithful” (2Ti 2:11–13; cf. Rom 3:3; 1Th 5:24; 2Th 3:3; Psa 91:4; Isa 25:1; Lam 3:22–23; Num 23:19; Heb 6:18; Mat 24:35).[17]

A good example is one of Jesus’ earliest miracles: Curing the leper (Mat 8:1–4; Mar 1:40–45; Luk 5:12–16). After He cured him, Jesus told the leper to “go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded” (Mat 8:4). Imagine the look of shock on the priest’s face when someone who had been cured from leprosy walked up to him—that had never happened before![18] I’m pretty sure the scribes and priests had to look up what was written in Scripture regarding this, yet God had instructions on what to do for this very situation (Lev 14:1–31)—and those instructions were written approximately 1,500 years prior! The words were just sitting there in Scripture, waiting to be fulfilled at that precise moment. Amazing.

Scripture further tells us that “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent” (Num 23:19; cf. Tit 1:2; Heb 6:18; Rom 3:4; Jas 1:17), and “He is not a man that He should change His mind” (1Sa 15:29; cf. Jas 1:17). We can fully count on all His promises to us[19] and place our unconditional faith and trust in Him and His holy name (Pro 18:10; Isa 40:31; Psa 56:3–4; 91:2, 14; Rom 8:31–39; Rev 1:8).

A Christian, therefore, presses on in—

• “Trust,”[20]
• “Confidence” (see Act 2:29; 4:13, 29; 1Ti 3:13; Php 1:6; Eph 3:12; Tit 3:8; Heb 3:6; 4:16; 10:19, 35; 13:6; Phm 8; 1Jn 2:28; 3:21; 4:17; 5:14; 2Co 1:12; 3:4; cf. Joh 5:23; 8:49; 12:26; Rev 21:25–27),
• “Courage” (see Mat 9:2, 22; 14:27; Mar 6:50; 10:49; 15:43; Joh 16:33; Php 1:14; Act 21:13; 23:11; 27:25; 28:15; cf. 1Co 16:13; 2Co 4:11; 5:6–8; Jos 1:9),
• “Boldness” (Act 4:29–31; 9:28; 14:3; 18:26; 19:8; 2Co 3:12; Eph 3:11–12; 6:19–20; Php 1:20; 1Th 2:2; cf. 2Ti 1:7–14; Rom 1:16–17; Mat 5:14–16; Pro 28:1),
• “Hope” (Mat 12:21; Act 23:6; 26:6; Rom 5:2; 8:24; 12:12; 15:12–13; Gal 5:5; Eph 1:12, 18; Col 1:5, 23, 27; 1Th 5:8; 2Th 2:16; 1Ti 1:1; 4:10; Tit 1:2; 3:7; Heb 6:18; 11:1; 1Pe 1:3, 21; 3:15; 1Jn 3:3; cf. Job 27:8; Psa 31:24; 33:18, 22; 38:15; 39:7; 62:5; 71:5; 119:166; 139:5; 146:5; Jer 17:13), and
• “Full assurance” (see Heb 3:14; 6:11; 10:22; 11:1; cf. Rom 4:16–21)

—knowing that what we read in the Word of God is absolute truth.

LEARNING FROM THOSE WHO HAVE COME BEFORE US

We can learn much about trusting in the Lord by studying how the patriarchs of the faith and the apostles (e.g., Noah, Abraham, Moses, Daniel, Job, Peter, Paul, etc.) behaved, believed, and trusted in God even when they were faced with extremely harsh, dark, difficult, and dangerous trials and situations.[21] I encourage you to review their strength of faith even when facing the unknown (Heb 11:1–40). Additionally, many of them did not live to see the fulfillment of God’s promises to them, yet they still trusted Him completely. These are a few of my favorites:

• Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego and the fiery furnace (Dan 3),[22]
• Daniel and the lions’ den (Dan 6),[23]
• Peter in prison (Act 12:1–17),[24] and
• The sufferings of Paul (Act 9:15–16).[25]

SIGNS AND WONDERS

Now, this might also seem like a strange section to include in a chapter on trust but let me explain. Are you always seeking after more “signs and wonders” from the Lord in order to move forward, keep your spirits up, and maintain your faith and trust in Him (Joh 4:48; cf. Mat 12:39; 24:24; Mar 13:22)? This seems to be an aspect of human nature that has been around a long time—even the Jews of Jesus’ day wanted to see more signs and wonders (Mat 12:38–42). One of the aspects of developing a mature faith is that you begin to take God at His Word, for He cannot lie, He will not lie, and He never changes.[26] Furthermore, God has given us many wonderful promises in Scripture. Can you name some of them? I encourage you to study the NT in particular, and as you read through it, make a list of the promises God has made to you.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Please realize that you are not alone and that God is with you this very instant (Mat 28:20; Psa 23:4). Scripture tells us, “I [Jesus] will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you” (Heb 13:5); “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Mat 28:20); and “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me” (Psa 23:4; cf. Mat 4:16; Luk 1:78–79; 2:32; Psa 44:19; 107:10–14; 1Co 15:55–57). He promises to change you into His likeness (1Jn 3:2). Always remember that the very same Spirit of power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in you (Rom 8:11; Joh 15:1–10; Gal 2:20; Eph 3:20), and as you have read, you are now living “by the Spirit” of God (Act 20:22; Rom 2:29; 8:13–14; 1Co 2:13; 12:3; Gal 3:3; 5:18, 25; 2Th 2:13; 1Jn 3:24; cf. Eph 4:24) and not by your own might or power.[27]

JESUS ALREADY WON VICTORY FOR US

Lastly, let us fully and deeply understand in our heart, mind, and soul that God has already won complete and total victory for us over sin, Satan, and death—“It is finished” (Joh 19:30; cf. Gen 3:15; Luk 10:18; Joh 12:31; 16:33; Rom 8:37; Eph 1:20–22; Col 2:14–15; Heb 2:14; 10:10–13; 1Co 15:24–26; 54–57; 2Ti 1:10; 1Jn 3:8; 4:4; 5:4; Rev 1:17–18; 12:7–13; 15:2; 20:14; 21:4)—and there is nothing whatsoever that anyone or anything on, under, or above the earth can do to change that (Rom 8:28–31, 37–39; cf. Rom 14:11; Php 2:10; 2Th 1:6–10; 2Ti 2:13; Rev 19:11–21; 20:10–15; 22:20). Nothing can separate you from Him! As it is written:

“But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” – Luk 22:69

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. – Eph 1:13–21

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” – Joh 14:27

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” – Joh 16:33

You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. – 1Jn 4:4

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. – Php 1:6

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. – Php 4:13

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Rom 8:37–39

And with that, we have reached what I believe is the very pinnacle and peak of this book (Jesus > Anxiety). But I hope to see you in the next section; we still have much to learn …

CHAPTER PRAYER[28]

Most glorious and holy Father in heaven, hallowed be Your great name. Thank You for Your unbelievable patience, kindness, compassion, slowness to anger, love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness when I was a rebel in sin, an enemy of Yours for many years because I did not know You or know who You are. Father, I pray You will show those reading this book the same patience and kindness You demonstrated with me. Thank You for showing me that You are such an amazingly good and loving God and for allowing (and helping) me to have a better understanding of Your righteous and holy nature and the power of Your Spirit.

Father, I have tried to the very best of my ability to give them the whole message of hope that they have in You and the Gospel of Your Son and to explain Your mighty nature in the words of this book. I pray that You will soften the heart of any reader and grant them wisdom to know You in a much deeper way. Please grant them peace over anxiety and hope over fear. Let them not be consumed by anxiety, doubt, worry, or fear any longer but fully trust in You in all things, in all places, and at all times because of who You are, what You have done, and what You have promised. Help them to cast their anxiety on You and rest in Your peace, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. Let them take refuge in You in times of trial and tribulation and seek shelter under Your wings. In all things, please look after their needs and guide them forward in the power of Your Spirit. In Jesus’ most holy name, I pray. Amen.

[1] One of the ways you prove your faith is genuine is through your trust in the Lord (as Abraham and many other saints have done; Heb 11:1–40).

[2] Note it says all things—not just some things, only on Wednesdays or when things are going well, when it’s convenient, when you agree with God, and so on.

[3] Discipline you, as needed (Heb 12:4–11).

[4] A good example of this is the Israelites following God’s seemingly bizarre instructions (from a military general’s perspective on how to wage war) about how they were to take Jericho (Jos 6:1–27; Heb 11:30). They followed God’s instructions and were victorious.

[5] See the chapter “Understanding God.”

[6] See the chapter “The Gospel of the Grace of God” herein, as well as the chapters “Our Hope” and “The Image of the Invisible God” in our book The Gospel of the Grace of God.

[7] See the chapter “The Gospel of the Grace of God” herein, as well as the chapters “Our Hope” and “Why Did Jesus Have to Die?” in our book The Gospel of the Grace of God.

[8] See the chapter “Is Jesus Really God?” in our book The Gospel of the Grace of God for more information.

[9] See the chapter “The Gospel of the Grace of God.”

[10] He also promises never to give you more than you can handle (1Co 10:13).

[11] See the chapter “All Things Made New” in our book The Gospel of the Grace of God.

[12] See the chapters “The Apostles in Prison” and “The Sufferings of Paul.”

[13] See the chapter “Reading and Studying the Bible.”

[14] At least it may seem that way to us, but remember “that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day” (2Pe 3:8).

[15] Many OT saints died without ever seeing the fulfillment of God’s promises to them in their lifetimes (Heb 11:13), yet they remained steadfast in their faith and trust in the Lord! See the chapter “Hall of Faith.”

[16] See also the chapter “God’s Timing, Not Ours.”

[17] Please don’t misunderstand: 2 Timothy 2:13 is not saying that we don’t need to have faith in Christ or that we could abandon our faith and still be saved, as both of those interpretations would contradict other verses of Scripture. It’s speaking to the fact that no matter how weak or strong our faith is, if we have momentary anxiety, worry, doubt, and fear, or whether we have faith or not (generally), that doesn’t affect His faith and promises toward us, for He never changes (Heb 13:8; Jas 1:17). He is “steadfast” (Heb 6:19), and He never lies (Tit 1:2; Rom 3:4; Jas 1:17). We can, therefore, fully rely on Him and place our unconditional faith and trust in Him, His Word, and His holy name (Pro 18:10; Isa 40:31; Psa 56:3–4; 91:2, 14; Rom 8:31–39; Rev 1:8). And so, we live in His assurance—“the assurance of things hoped for” (Heb 11:1; cf. Heb 3:14; 6:11; 10:22; Rom 4:16–21)—that we read about in Scripture (i.e., His promises, eternal life, all things made new, etc.). Said another way, the Word of God stands firm, regardless of what man believes, thinks, says, or does.

[18] For all practical purposes, Jesus’ leprosy healings were the first time God’s commands regarding leprosy healings had to be consulted and put into effect, as neither Miriam’s (Num 12:1–16) nor Naaman’s (2Ki 5:1–27) healings invoked the Levitical cure response (Miriam was handled directly by God, and Naaman was not an Israelite).

[19] That is, eternal life, all things made new, and so on.

[20] Verse references were given prior.

[21] Scripture also contains examples of people who did not trust in the Lord. For example, you can read about the spies who were sent to scout the promised land but then doubted God—and the repercussions that followed them for forty years afterward (Num 13:1–14:38)! A Christian must not doubt or second-guess God.

[22] See the chapter “The Fiery Furnace.”

[23] See the chapter “The Lions’ Den.”

[24] See the chapter “Peter in Prison.”

[25] See the chapter “The Sufferings of Paul.”

[26] Verses were given prior.

[27] See the section “Not by Might or Power but by My Spirit” in the chapter “Living in the Spirit.”

[28] This is a gentle reminder that we are also to pray for others, and this is my prayer for you.