Trust

What is trust? How does it play a role in your daily life? How does it shape your relationships? What happens when that trust is broken?

All of these are good questions to ask when it comes to trust. When you put your trust in other people you believe that they are true to their word and care for you. Unfortunately, there are times when that trust can be broken. Whether it be through dishonest or hurtful words of a friend or loved one, or broken promises, betrayal of trust hurts. The results of this is having difficulty trusting the words and actions of others.

Moving Past The Hurt

How do you get past that initial hurt and the anger that is associated with it? The answer is through God.

This is, at times, easier said than done. To trust God, you first must give up yourself. When you trust God completely, it’s like walking across a tightrope. Sure, the height is scary and you might fall.

Actually, there is a good chance you will fall. Mistakes may be made that cause you to stumble. Sometimes you will be able to right yourself and stay on the rope. Other times it will seem as if the rope is always moving and a fall is inevitable. What’s important is not what is going on with the rope, but how you react to it.

Do you get scared and run back to the safe platform where you started? Or do you keep going? Would the fear of falling and getting hurt be crippling to you? What would you tell yourself? Would it sound something like this?

“There’s no way I can do this. I’m not stable enough. I’ll shake the rope and it will fall and I will be hurt.”

If the answer is yes, you aren’t alone. Many of us would shy away from that rope if we thought there was nothing to break our fall.

Trust God To Catch You If You Fall

What if I told you though that there is something to break that fall. There is a net under the tightrope. You may not be able to see it, but it is there. If you fall, it will catch you. It won’t be pleasant and it may hurt, but the net will catch you.

This is true with God. Though the hurt, fear, and anger felt after suffering a betrayal can make it feel like walking on a tightrope that is always shaking, God is right there. He is waiting to catch you if you fall. Once you know that God is there to support you, it will get easier. You can walk across the rope safe in the knowledge that if you trust the net to catch you in the event of a fall, you won’t be as scared.

You might be more willing to look up and stand steady so that your steps will be even. There is even a chance that you will accept the help from others around you. Before it may have seemed that they would make the rope shake more or might even push you off the rope so they can get to the end themselves. Once you trust that no matter what happens, God will catch you safely in his arms, trust becomes easier.

People will hurt us and betray our trust, but we can always trust God that He will be with us no matter where the tightrope of life takes us.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 NASB