Trust

Introduction

Scripture calls every believer to a full, unwavering trust in God:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.” Proverbs 3:5-8 ESV

As humans, we are commanded to trust God completely. Yet God, in His infinite wisdom, does not automatically entrust or reciprocate this trust. He grants authority and stewardship only to those who demonstrate faithfulness—obedience tested through trials and perseverance. Divine trust is not given lightly; it is earned. Our obedience, steadfastness, and humility under testing prove that we are worthy of His confidence.

Even Jesus, fully divine yet fully human, understood this principle: He discerned the hearts of men and was cautious with trust, knowing the frailty of human motives:

“Jesus, however, was cautious of these believers; He understood human nature.” John 2:24 (GW)

Trust, therefore, is both a command and a responsibility. We are called to trust God entirely, yet our own trustworthiness is measured by our obedience and faithfulness. To walk faithfully in His ways is to earn the privilege of sharing in His work, becoming vessels of His will in a world that demands discernment and steadfast devotion. The ability to share in His work is not only for the present but for our future role with Him in His Kingdom.

What Does Trust Require

If God is to trust us we must first: surrender all personal self actualization, have total confidence in God’s character/nature and obey even without full understanding. You can be sure He is not going to tell you everything. If He did why do we need faith. The only way our faith and trust can be demonstrated is by testing. God does not automatically entrust responsibility or authority to everyone without testing. He demands that all of us go through trials of varying degrees. Of course none of us relish trials of any kind often blaming the Devil, someone else or ourselves.

“But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.” 1 Thessalonians 2:4 ESV

Consider This

Those of us who are savvy of scripture, know that we are being tested for a reason. The Bible says, “we will also reign with Him”. Therefore we must be tested to be trusted to reign.

“If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;”— 2 Timothy 2:11-13 ESV

“For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy 13:3 ESV

“Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.” Isiaah 48:10 ESV

The Bible also says we will judge the angels. Why? This is partially because the angels have not been tested in the same manner we are tested. It is the saints, not angels who become heirs with Jesus to inherit all things. Remember, a third of the Angels lost their domain and Paul tells us,

“Do you not know that we are to judge angels?” 1 Corinthians 6:3 ESV

How Will God Test Us*

Our testing comes in many forms. They are all designed to both expose and correct our degree of resolve and trust in God.

When trust is establish trials will not stop. Trials persist because they are tools for spiritual growth, tests of faith, and part of living in a fallen world. True peace comes from trusting God, not merely trusting humanity.

The Nature of Trust Toward God

Our trust in God is a command, not a suggestion.

“Trust in the LORD, and do good;” Psalms 37:3 ESV

“Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.” Isaiah 26:4 ESV

This trust requires; Faith in God’s goodness, belief in His sovereignty and submission to His will. Our trust cannot have any instability and must exclude any personal wisdom and dependence on worldly security.

“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6 ESV

Can God Trust Us?

Though God knows all things, His trust is not granted lightly or without purpose. He sees the heart, yet He still tests us—not to gain knowledge, but to reveal and prove the genuineness of our faith.

Consider Abraham. God tested him through the life of his only son. In that moment, Abraham was called to demonstrate obedience, loyalty, and a willingness to surrender what was most precious to him. The question remains for us: are we willing to do the same?

Reflect on the lives of the faithful recorded in Hebrews 11—Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Moses, and others. These were men and women whom God could trust. Each endured severe testing, yet many did not receive the fullness of what was promised in their lifetime. We, however, live in the light of promises more clearly revealed through Christ. Should our trust even be easier? Even so, not all endure. Only those who persevere and overcome will enter fully into what God has promised.

Faithfulness is not proven in a moment, but over time. It is refined and demonstrated through testing. Often, small tests come first, preparing us for greater responsibility.

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.” (Luke 16:10, ESV)

Abraham was tested through obedience. Moses in the wilderness. Joseph through adversity. The apostles through many trials. In the same way, we are tested—called to walk in trust and obedience, that our faith may be proven true.

A Purpose for God’s Trust

When I was younger, attending catechism classes in the Catholic Church, we often asked what heaven would be like and what we would do there. The priests and nuns struggled to explain it. Their descriptions usually amounted to this: heaven is beautiful, and we will spend eternity adoring and praising God. To me, that sounded unappealing—almost monotonous. At the time, I knew very little about God, and, in truth, my teachers seemed to know only a little more.

Later, when I became born again, my perspective changed. I became deeply drawn to the hope of heaven and the promises of eternity. Yet one question still troubled me: Why must we endure so many hardships on earth? Didn’t Jesus accomplish everything on the cross?

Clarity came when I encountered this passage:

“Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.”  Revelation 2:25–27 (ESV)

There is a purpose in our hardship. We are, in a sense, in God’s school, where trials refine and prepare us for future service in His Kingdom. The call is clear: hold fast and trust Him. God has a reason for every trial you face. He may not reveal those reasons now, but we are called to trust—to have faith in the One who is perfectly faithful and trustworthy.

Watch and wait. The Lord is coming. Though many grow weary of hearing this, those who believe and remain attentive to the signs of the times recognize the nearness of His return. This is not the time to complain or lose heart, but to strengthen hope, endure with perseverance, and deepen resolve. What you are experiencing is not in vain. Your trials are not random; they are under the sovereign hand of God, who is purposeful in all He does.

Whether you fully grasp it or not, God sees you personally. He has His eye upon you and a future prepared for you in His Kingdom. Do not place your trust in any person—or in these words—but in Him who faithfully brings all things to pass.

Even Jesus, during His earthly life, “…learned obedience through what he suffered.” He was tested, far beyond what is recorded in Scripture, and endured what only the Son of God could endure.

“…he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect…” Hebrews 5:8–9 (ESV)

If the Son walked the path of suffering to fulfill the Father’s will, we should not be surprised that our own path includes trials. Through them, God is preparing us—not only for eternity—but for meaningful participation in His Kingdom.

Conclusion

Are you a child of the light—a child of the day? If you have been born again, then this is not merely a title; it is your identity. Therefore, live in a manner worthy of it. Walk in the light you have been given.

Scripture declares that His coming will be “like a thief in the night,” sudden and unexpected to the world. Yet it should not overtake you in surprise. You have not been left in ignorance. God, in His mercy, has revealed all that is necessary for you to remain watchful, sober, and prepared.

“But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day.” (1 Thessalonians 5:4–5, ESV)

It is no coincidence that the book of 1 Peter speaks so extensively about trials and suffering. It reminds us that the life of faith is not insulated from hardship, but refined through it. In every circumstance—whether in ease or affliction—we are called to trust the Lord fully, to live in obedience without compromise, and to set our hope steadfastly on Him.

Fix your hope not on changing circumstances, but on the unchanging promise: He is coming.

Enough Said

“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16 ESV