The word trust is a very challenging word for most people. As I was reflecting on this simple but powerful word, I realized that “trust” is both a noun and a verb. As a noun “trust” is where we place our confidence. Are we placing it in what we see and what we know?
We trust that when we sit on a chair that it won’t collapse under us. We trust that when we turn on the stove, we will get heat. We trust that when we flip the light switch, light will come on. Basically, it is a trust in what we can visually see and touch.
Trust, as a verb, involves an act of belief in a person’s honesty, integrity, reliability, and goodness in their intentions. It is a reliance and confident hope and an expectation in the truthfulness of the one making a promise.
Trust when associated with God is a verb, because it requires active faith and belief in His Word and His promises. We pray and ask God to supply a need or heal our bodies. We know what the Word says about provision and healing, but when the answer does not come in the time or method that we expect, we often become discouraged thus giving permission for the author of doubt to raise his evil head and ask, “Did God really say…”
If we follow the beginning of man and what went wrong in the Garden of Eden we know that God first created Adam. (Genesis 2:7). He then commanded him, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:16-22). Shortly after, God created Eve from Adam’s rib.
We learn in Genesis 3 that Adam had informed Eve of God’s command not to eat of the tree of Good and Evil. Yet that sly serpent, Satan, came to temp her in the garden and said, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1). At that moment, he had injected the lethal venom of doubt.
The woman answered the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die” (Genesis 3:2-3).
Eve’s first mistake was engaging in a conversation with the enemy, because it opened the door for doubt. Often the enemy will sow doubt in the mind and if we are not careful, we begin to entertain those negative thoughts that cause us to question God.
We know that Satan is a liar and the father of lies, so the following dialogue is not surprising.“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5). Satan told a partial truth, because he knew that she would not die physically. The omitted truth was that it would be a spiritual death, and that was his goal.
Eve saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and desirable for gaining wisdom, so she took and ate it and gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Instantly, their eyes were opened, so they made coverings for themselves (Genesis 3:6-7). Sadly, Adam was complicit in her sin because he failed to follow God’s explicit directions and stop Eve from taking the fruit which she then gave to him.
The key word is “saw.” Her eyes betrayed her, because her eyes and heart were captured by the world’s physical offerings instead of trusting in the truth of God’s Word. Adam followed his wife into sin because he too was captivated by the beauty of the fruit and the promise of being like God.
The flesh can be easily tempted and enticed. That is why we are told that those who are in the flesh cannot please God but must be led by the Spirit (Romans 8:8). Eve was tempted by what appeared to be true, but it was the lie that ensnared her and all humanity.
We pray for an answer from God and when we don’t receive the answer in the time or in the manner that we expect, we become tempted to look to the world, to others, or to ourselves to provide the answer. Then, like Adam and Eve, we miss God’s best.
Jesus warned us to be careful with our eyes because they are a lamp that provides light for the body. When the eye is healthy, the body is filled with light.But when the eye is unhealthy (focusing on the wrong things), the whole body is filled with darkness. And the light that you believe you have, is really a deep darkness, for no one can serve two masters, for it is impossible to serve both God and the world that draws and entices us to doubt and disobey God (Matthew 6:22-25).
One can only wonder why Adam and Eve did not question God as to what it meant to die? They had not seen or experienced death, so its meaning did not carry enough weight to quench their desire to be like God.
Each of us has varied needs that we pray and seek God for help. Those needs can involve health, finances, work, and family, just to name a few. Life is difficult and most people struggle with something. But God encourages us to look to Him for guidance and trust in His goodness and faithfulness. We do that through prayer, seeking truth in the scriptures, and reflecting and focusing on His past faithfulness to us. We admit our doubts, concerns, and questions before the Lord while voicing our gratitude and acknowledging His supreme sovereignty over all matters.
When I became a Christian 54 years ago, I was a divorced mother with a young son. I had a deep and unwavering trust in God’s love and purpose for my life, so when I was laid off from my job, I had peace and complete confidence that God would work all things together for good.
God recently reminded me of that time, when those years ago, things appeared uncertain, but He led me on a new path that changed the trajectory of my life, which brought tremendous blessings to me and my son. Each day, I place my trust in Him as a verb, for He alone can and will lead me in His perfect will.
PRAYER: FATHER, thank you for the beautiful lessons that You teach each day. Help me to build faith on the truth of Your Word and not trust in what I see and feel. For my eyes and thoughts, if not protected with the Word, will tempt me to doubt and question Your goodness, truth, and integrity. In Jesus name, amen.