Trust God to Be with You

 

Part one of a four-part series on “Trusting God”

Trusting God: Introduction

Being able to trust God is one of the greatest blessings of knowing Jesus. We can trust his love, forgiveness, mercy, and grace. We can be confident that he has a purpose for our life, and that we represent him wherever we are. We can live a joyful, purposeful life.

God leads us. He helps us. And sometimes he does miracles. But trusting God doesn’t mean that if we have enough faith he will always heal us, make us wealthy, or give us success in everything we do.

Unfortunately, some Christians think that’s what it means to trust God. Then, when things don’t work out the way they expected, many people think they don’t have enough faith, that God doesn’t love them, or that they aren’t really a Christian.

In this study, you will discover a deeper understanding of what it means to trust God.

Trusting God means remembering that he is always with you

If you are a Christian, you are a child of God. He is always with you. In fact, his Spirit actually lives in you.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

Knowing that Christ lives in you can give you courage and peace as you go through life. You can trust him to guide, strengthen, and comfort you—no matter what.

Related: God’s Spirit lives in you

Trusting God means putting your primary confidence in him

Where do you look for help as you go through life? It’s normal to trust in other people, your finances, or your own abilities. There’s nothing wrong with any of these—to a degree. However, they all could fail you. Make it your goal to put your primary trust in the Lord, secure in the knowledge that he loves you and is with you.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:2)

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2)

 

Trusting God means knowing he will help you fulfill your purpose

God created you to make a difference as you go through life. Be encouraged by Paul’s words in the following verse. You can trust God to use you to make the world a better place. Your life matters.

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

Related: You have a purpose

Fulfill your purpose by encouraging and serving others.

Every time you talk with someone—family member, neighbor, co-worker, whomever—you have an opportunity to encourage or help him or her. Wherever you are, you are an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). Pray and trust God to help you speak with wisdom and love.

Fulfill your purpose by identifying possible actions you could take.

There are many ways you can make a difference. For example, you could join an organization that helps others, volunteer at church, start a business, write a book, or tell a neighbor about Jesus. Pray about your ideas, check to be sure they don’t go against the Bible, and perhaps ask a mature Christian for advice.

Trusting God means praying for guidance, help, and protection

Ask God to guide and watch over you. The Bible has many examples of people God used in wonderful ways. For example:

• Gideon, an insecure man, won amazing battles (Judges, chapters 6-8).
• Jonathan and another man defeated twenty Philistines (1 Samuel 14:1-15).
• Mary Magdalene and other women helped support Jesus and the apostles (Acts 18:23-26).

God is with you and will help you in amazing ways—even if things don’t work out the way you thought they would.

But — Trusting God doesn’t mean you won’t have problems

God’s Spirit lives in you, and you can trust him to always be with you. However, that doesn’t mean you will succeed in everything you do, that God will always answer your prayers with “yes,” or that you will always be healthy, happy, and problem-free.

In the New Testament, we read about many Christians who suffered. For example:

• James was killed by a sword (Acts 12:1-2).
• Timothy was frequently sick, but God didn’t miraculously heal him (1 Timothy 5:23).
• Many early followers of Jesus lost their property (Hebrews 1o:34), were thrown in prison (Acts 8:30), or scattered (Acts 11:19).
• Paul was mistreated and treated cruelly in appalling ways (2 Corinthians 11:22-33).

Jesus didn’t promise us a problem-free life.

Jesus didn’t tell his followers that trusting him would guarantee a trouble-free life. In fact, he said just the opposite:

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

Jesus himself was treated very poorly while on this earth. People slandered him, questioned his sanity, said he followed demons, tortured him, and crucified him. He warned his followers:

Remember the words I spoke to you: “No servant is greater than his master.” If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. (John 15:20)

Learn from Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s example.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego provide us with a great example of what it means to trust God. When they were thrown into a large furnace because they wouldn’t bow to an idol, they trusted God—although they didn’t know if he would deliver them or if they would burn up. They told the king:

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up. (Daniel 3:17-18)

They knew God might save them miraculously, but they also knew they might die. They put their trust in God himself, not in whether or not he would rescue them.

Related: Expect problems in your life

Trusting God means knowing he will meet your basic needs

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he wrote that God will meet all our needs. Later in the same letter, he told us what our main needs are: food and clothing.

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. (Philippians 6:6-8)

Trusting God also means:

• Knowing that you can count on his love.
• Following him because you love him.
• Choosing to always follow him, no matter what.
• Living according to his word, the Bible.
• Allowing him to change and transform you.
• Obeying him when he says “no.”
• Knowing that he will lovingly correct you when you do something wrong.
• Knowing that he forgives and purifies you when you confess your sins.
• Knowing that he will guide you, sometimes in ways that you don’t recognize.
• Knowing that he will help you in every situation, whether good or bad.
• Knowing his peace, whatever your circumstances.
• Knowing that he will rejoice with you in times of joy and comfort you in times of sorrow.
• Realizing that he knows the big picture, and you don’t.
• Knowing that you will spend eternity with him in heaven.

Memory verse

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)