How to Trust God Completely
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” ~ Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV
Imagine you are with the disciples when Jesus directs them to cross the Sea of Galilee by boat. You agree to go with them knowing that you can trust Jesus and what He commands, even though the Sea of Galilee is known for severe and sudden storms. However, you trust Jesus. A storm brews and your boat is rocking through the waves. Then, you see a terrifying and unexpected sight. A ghastly outline is walking on the water and coming towards the boat. Fear and terror overwhelm you because it could be a ghost. You and the other disciples begin to scream.
Suddenly, you hear Jesus’ voice say, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid” (Matthew 14:27 NIV). Then, one of the disciples in your boat, Peter, asks Jesus to tell him to come to him on the water. Jesus says, “Come” (Matthew 14:29 NIV). Peter gets out of the boat and begins to walk, but he becomes afraid when the wind blows. He begins to sink and cries for Jesus to save him.
“Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’” ~ Matthew 14:31 NIV
Could you have done it? Could you have gotten out of the boat? How long would you have lasted on the water before you began to sink?
If you want to know how to trust God completely, look at Peter’s life. If my calculations are correct, there were 12 men in the boat, and only one man trusted Jesus enough to get out of the boat. So, the question is: how do I fully trust God?
How do I fully trust God?
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” ~ Hebrews 12:1 NIV
The first step in fully trusting God is to throw off everything that hinders our faith and trust, especially the following four “D” words that destroy faith:
- Disappointment – becoming separated from God because things do not go our way
- Discouragement – becoming separated from God when life is hard
- Discontentment – becoming separated from God because we are unhappy or want more
- Doubt – becoming separated from God because we do not believe He will do what His Word says he will do
The theme with disappointment, discouragement, discontentment and doubt is separation from God. No wonder devil starts with “d”, because separation from God is the devil’s goal for our lives.
Learning how to trust God
The most important thing about learning how to trust God is to seek an intimate relationship with Him first and foremost. Many people believe that trusting God involves seeking answers to prayers, but trusting God involves a relationship.
Think about your purse or wallet. Would you rather trust an acquaintance or your best friend to watch your purse or wallet for you? I am sure you would trust your best friend more than an acquaintance.
Learning to trust God is the same concept. Would you trust your prayers with a God who you kind of know or with a God who is your closest friend?
I recently had a tooth infection, and my pain was unbearable to the point that over-the-counter medications provided no relief. The worst part of the pain was that I felt separated from God’s presence. I asked God to heal me, but I was more concerned with feeling separated from God than receiving healing. When the pain was the most intense, I would sit quietly trying to focus on God’s presence, because I knew that healing and relief come from the touch of God’s presence.
I would encourage you to join us on a 30-day faith journey to grow in intimacy with Jesus, so you can begin learning how to trust God by:
- Spending time in God’s presence
In Psalms 51:11 NIV, David pleads with God, “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.”
Learning to be still and asking Jesus to come with his presence are keys to building an intimate relationship with Christ.
- Reading, meditating and writing Bible verses
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” ~ Psalms 119:11 NIV
There is no better way to learn about who God is than by hiding His Word in your heart by reading, meditating, and writing Bible verses.
- Creating a prayer list and learning how to powerfully pray
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” ~ Philippians 4:6 NIV
Prayer helps you communicate with God and develops a stronger relationship with God.
- Accepting that everything does not happen the way you want it, but it sure does happen for your good.
Romans 8:28 NIV says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
How to trust God verses
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” ~ Proverbs 3:5 NIV
“Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.” ~ Isaiah 26:4 NIV
“I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” ~ Psalms 91:2 NIV
Dear Christian friend, you can fully trust God by strengthening your relationship with Him. Start with prayer by asking Jesus to come today to meet with you. Spend 3-4 minutes in God’s presence listening with stillness and expectation. You will be blessed with intimacy with Christ in your daily devotions and prayer, and you will learn how to trust God completely.
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