Trusting Others

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,  so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. (Romans 12:4-5)


Trusting in others can be a real challenge for some of us.  The freeonlinedictionary.com defines trust as, “Firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing.” There are so many people who guard their hearts, and put up walls around themselves – not trusting anyone. They believe that if they don’t become vulnerable enough to trust someone, they won’t be disappointed or hurt. I contend that without trust, you don’t know what it is to live or to grow. I believe that without trust, you will not realize the full potential for your life. We were purposely made with different skills, gifts, and talents. As a result, we must depend on (trust) one another to achieve fullness in our lives.

Of course, there is a risk involved in trusting another fallible human. We can be hurt. We can be disappointed. I guess when that happens, we need to refocus our trust to God, to help us through the hurt and bring some meaning to it. However, without taking a risk to trust someone, we miss out on the fullness of love, on the excitement of working on a great team, on the thrill of achieving a long sought after goal… Our marriages will not be whole and our children may not grow into whole adults.

There is so much to lose in your life by not allowing yourself to trust others. If you struggle with trusting others, I guess the question is how do you begin? Well, I suppose it is like any new discipline. You have to make a conscious decision to begin, and weigh the pros and cons for your life. You need buy-in for yourself that it is worth the risk. Think of areas in your life where you have not trusted someone, and what the consequences were. What good could have happened if you had trusted that individual? Purposely decide on one person to trust – someone close to you. Start small – test the waters. It is about allowing yourself to be vulnerable to others. It may be a bit intimidating at first, but the payoff is so big!

With all that being said, the Bible has much to say about trusting the Lord, and not putting your faith in man. It is important to remember that we all fall short of the glory of God. We are sinners. We make mistakes. You can be hurt when you trust man. Be in prayer over what to be vulnerable about and who to be vulnerable to. But know that we were created to need each other, and as we allow ourselves to trust others our lives will be richer.

“You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you don’t trust enough.” – Frank Crane

Steadfast Confidence

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. (Hebrews 10:35-37)

Sometimes life has a way of throwing the unexpected at us. The Bible teaches us to be ready in season and out. He wants us to be prepared spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Being ready and prepared for any season will help to build our confidence in our relationship with Him and also our confidence in ourselves. The Bible promises us many blessings when we follow Him, but it in no way promises that our lives will be picture-perfect or that everything will always run smoothly.  God wants us to seek him not only when times are bad but when times are good as well. Sometimes when unexpected, negative experiences occur, our confidence in the Lord slips.  We wonder why He would allow us to struggle with that certain situation. We also can lose our confidence in ourselves and think that maybe if we were more spiritual these things would not have happened. Or maybe we have just messed up too much for God to even care. On the other hand, life might be going just fine but you may be dealing with insecurities or negative thoughts that can be hindering your confidence as well. Either way, God wants us to seek him not only when times are bad, but also when times are good. He wants us to maintain confidence in who He is and he wants us to maintain it in ourselves as well.

Why is confidence so important? First of all, when our confidence is rooted in Christ, we can have stability and peace when tests and trials come. Confidence allows us to step out and be bold in doing the things He has called us to do. It will help us to take appropriate risks without being held back in fear. It will help us try new things, meet new people, and get ahead in life; and we can live our lives not being overly concerned about what others may think of us. Wow! that sounds very freeing doesn't it? 

The scripture helps us to understand that we should not look to the right or to the left when things begin to happen that we did not expect. Keep your focus and keep your confidence strong in the Lord.  Hold on to your trust and your faith in who he is. God already knew what you would face in life and nothing catches Him by surprise! He knows the day and time you live in. He is with you each and every step of the way, and He always knows the final outcome of your situation. He is your strength. He will uphold you. He is your defender. He is your problem solver; and your security comes from him. There is no need to over-analyze your situation if you have complete confidence in Him. He is the author of your story so trust that he already knows what will happen in the next chapter. Trust his process. Ask him what you can learn from each experience in life. The good and the bad. Ask Him how you can grow.  Choose to have full assurance and rely on him to meet your needs. 

For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. (Proverbs 3:2)

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Parenting and Grace

 ... I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.  But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those[a] who love me and obey my commands. (Exodus 20:5-6 NLT)

Yikes!  As I read this scripture, I begin to feel an overwhelming sense of inadequacy.  I think about my children and how precious they are to me.  I want nothing more than to raise them to be God fearing adults with strong character and hearts filled with love and compassion.  Honestly though, I’m not always so confident that I’m doing the greatest job.  I read a scripture like the one up above and I am once again reminded how serious our calling as a parent is.  I find myself asking if I really measure up to the standards God has for me as a parent.  Am I following his commands with obedience?  Are my current choices and mistakes in life a possible detriment to my children's future?  Parenting can be frustrating.  We all fall short of the Lord's expectations, just as our children fall short of our expectations.  Fortunately for us, God's grace covers and renews us each and every morning.  He does not expect us to be perfect parents, but rather to do our best and let him do the rest.  At the same time our Heavenly Father is showing us grace, He is modeling His expectation of us for our own children.  Our children deserve the same patience and grace that God bestows upon us.

 "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness..." (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV)

When we love the Lord and we try our best to obey His commands, He knows it.  He covers us with grace, and when we are weak, His power is made perfect.  Our children love us and do their best as well.  But there are certainly times where we need to show them grace in their weakness.  Looking back at the first scripture, ask yourself what sins are in your life that may be passed on to your children and theirs.  Ask for help from our God to break that generational curse to protect your children from facing the same struggles that you face.  Allow His grace to be sufficient in your life, and continue to lavish love and grace upon your children.  With His help, you can be that parent that you desire to be!