I imagine King David sitting at a table, parchment covering his desk, a small oil lamp flickering its dim yellow light over the blank pages, and crying out his prayer;
In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.
I trust in you; do not let my enemies triumph over me.
Psalm 25:1-2
How many times have I leaned back into my couch and journaled the very same words; Lord, I trust in you. Do not let my enemies triumph over me. I may not have people chasing after me trying to kill me, or trying to sabotage my actions for political good. However, I do have sibling disputes to resolve, dinner to plan, chores to do, a church to serve at, and a day to get through. But like all of us, there will be times people don’t like me, conflict occurs, or I feel like I’m my own enemy as I fight to maintain a healthy weight. Or there may be a life event that feels like an enemy … financial problems, health issues, feeling discouraged, or even just feeling overwhelmed. And I pray as David did … do not let my enemies triumph over me. But by doing so, this circles back to the word of trust. Trust is an interesting word, but what does it mean?
Trust is:
- A central part of all relationships.
- Confidence and belief in a person/place whom you are in a relationship with, whether that be a close friend, the school your child attends, the church you attend, your place of work, or your hope in Jesus.
- A decision that someone is reliable.
- A complex brain process that includes emotions (which aren’t always reliable).
So it’s more than a feeling. It’s a reciprocal relationship. Yet many, if not all of us, at some point, have experienced the breakdown of trust. It could be a result of the actions, behaviors, and words of others from an individual, workplace, organization, or church. In those moments, we find ourselves asking, can we really trust God, too?
David reminds us by his words, that God is not people. People may let us down, but God, he’s as trustworthy as the day you met him and the day his son died on the cross. Despite this, I have blamed God when disputes have occurred with people I thought were friends or in the places I thought were safe. Why did he let that happen? Why didn’t he stop it? Where’s his justice for me? Why didn’t the organization have safeguards in place? And these are all valid questions that God may or may not choose to answer. But amid all this asking, David set the role model for us because after declaring to God he trusts him, he declares the reason why:
No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come to those who are treacherous without cause.
Psalm 25:3
Then through his prayer to God, he teaches us what to ask in painful situations;
Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Psalm 25:4-5
We all need help navigating situations in which trust has been broken … and that comes from God. But it also comes from us seeking counsel, whether from a trusted spouse, friend, family member, counselor, nutritionist, doctor, or nurse, etc. There’s a pretty long list of people who may be able to help you. And having someone to process challenging situations with is healthy. Seeking counsel doesn’t mean we share it with the world on social media or the group family text chat, but it does mean we seek the wisdom and support of those we trust.
And even though our trust may be broken and need healing, we can trust God. How easy do you find it to trust?
A love letter from God …
Dear lovely one,
I understand that it can be hard to trust, but you can trust me. I know people may have let you down, but I never will. You see, from the moment I created you, I knew everything you would face. And I am your strength to get you through it all. If someone has uttered words over you that shouldn’t have been spoken, I can erase their effect on you. Who do I say you are? You are mine. You are my beloved. And everything about you is full of beauty.
That said, there are times when you need to learn to trust people again. It’s hard, but essential, as you need trust in your life. It helps you build a community where you feel safe. So ask me and I will show you who you can trust. If in doubt, pause, call on my name, and I will speak to your heart, mind, and soul.
I see you, my beloved; I love you. And I am with you always.
Love, God