The Meaning of Trust

Andy Raatz

I have been wrestling with this question: What does trust in God mean?

I know the stock answers - faith without question… confidence in His ability… assurance that God has our best in mind. Our worship songs repeat lines such as, “He has never failed me…” and “Way-maker, miracle-worker…”

But in certain seasons, all those words can’t fully quench that whisper of anxiety that echoes loudly in the middle of the night. We know God cares for us, for our family, and for this church. But how do we respond when we don’t hear the response from God that we desperately need? How do we live during the gap between need and resolution?

Sometimes our anxiety comes from meta-problems - wars, tragedies, famine, e.g. Ukraine and Israel. Other days we wrestle with the problem of pain as friends and family battle physical or family crises, while we pray for their healing without an answer. It is heartbreaking to watch deep loss, or intense sadness, or gripping fear beat up on people we love.

Yet the deepest anxiety is when we ourselves are facing those questions - the unknown future, the unanswered questions, the unresolved prayers.

One of my Scripture readings this week was Psalm 103. The writer, King David, starts with a long list of God’s blessings. “He forgives all my sins, and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things….” (NLT)

As I read those verses, I thought to myself, “Of course I can trust God. He has done so much for me over the years.” But for some reason, those words sounded empty; as if I could pump up my trust level by way of repetition.

Then I arrived at these verses: “The Lord is… filled with unfailing love… His unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth… The Lord is like a father… tender and compassionate… But the love of the Lord remains forever.”

Reading about God’s love gave me the answer to that original question - what does trust look like and how can I trust God?

Trust comes when I understand God’s love for me. The antidote to fear, anxiety, sadness, questions, and uncertainty is NOT found in a positive attitude, praying more, doing more, or being more religious. It is found in His love - resting in the truth that God is filled with unfailing love toward us.

We can walk through any situation - individually and as a church - because He loves us immeasurably more than we can ever grasp.

This week, sit down each morning and evening and meditate on that one truth. Jesus loves you. That is enough.