Trust in God

Dear Brethren,

One of the requirements to be a Christian is to have faith.  Faith is the means by which God enables us to have a personal relationship with Him.  Faith is a key to the process by which God brings us to salvation.  God gave us faith when He started working with us before we were baptized.  Now, He uses faith to enable us to grow spiritually until we ultimately receive the gift of salvation upon our birth into the family of God.  "... Think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."  (Romans 12:3)

There were two conditions to our baptism:  Repentance toward God, and Faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.  As we counted the cost, we wondered what great things God had in store for us.   We began with the conviction that God is the Creator and that He has called us to be a part of His family, and He expects us to strive to keep His laws.  In effect, we, too, were responding to the command - "Follow Me."  We were ready to give up our jobs and lose friends, if need be, to stand up for our convictions.  That posture of willingness to make sacrifices for our beliefs, showed that we had a faith - a faith that could grow.  "We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith grows exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other abounds."  (2 Thessalonians 1:3)

Like a young bird before its first flight - the whole world lay before us.  The reason that God gave us a fledgling faith was so that we would develop a close relationship with Him.  Certainly, we all began as "babes-in-Christ," but it seems that many Christians do not progress beyond their infant kind of faith, and as a result, do not grow to maturity.  Some Christians are wracked with doubt, despair, discouragement and depression because they have not been able to grow in faith.  We need to realize that God makes a greater type of faith available to us that can result in freedom from times of emotional darkness, even though we are going through difficult trials.  When things do not seem to be working out in our lives, we need to trust in God that He is faithfully teaching us the lessons we sorely need to learn.

God greatly desires us to come to Him, as little children come to their physical father.  God is helping us grow to become full-fledged members of His family.  He wants children of His own that have a close personal relationship with Him.  He wants us to seek after Him and come to Him continually and relentlessly for help and guidance.  This deeper faith is a trust in God.  Paul fully trusted that it was God who gave the growth in real Christians - he did not take the credit, knowing his abilities came from God.  He had confidence in God through Christ.   "Such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:  Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God."  (2 Corinthians 3:4-5)

Trusting in God provides the assurance that God is with us at all times, even when our troubles seem overwhelming.  It enables us to work through trials and not be overcome by them.  Trust in God is the antidote for depression and discouragement.  This kind of faith produces the wonderful fruit of joy.

God expects Christians to develop trust in Him as He opens our minds to understanding His truths.  To some extent, this process occurs naturally as we begin to realize that God is calling us, revealing truth to us, and wanting to have a personal relationship with us.  Then, as we begin to live God’s way of life, He encourages us through answered prayer.  Paul explained the process as progressing “from faith to faith.”

"I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."  (Romans 1:16-17)

Without this kind of faith, we do not have available to us the key to overcoming trials and developing character.  That key is God’s help.  If, through lack of faith, we don’t have a relationship of trust in Him, we will find ourselves alone and powerless to overcome.  God is deeply interested in us, and is eager to take care of us.  "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?"  (Matthew 6: 30)

Our Father knows what things we have need of before we ask Him - and yet, we are supposed to ask Him.   We are to ask, pray and fast about personal things.  God wants us to pour our hearts out about our trials, concerns and desires.  Let's be persistent.  God wants us to seek Him earnestly.  "Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He [exists], and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."  (Hebrews 11:6)

Often, our failure to diligently seek God is the reason our prayers are not answered.  He wants to have a close personal relationship with us.  One of the ways that He does this is through answering our prayers after we diligently come to Him for help.

We can go to God in confidence.  He is there for each of us.  Seek a greater, more personal relationship with Him.  That is His desire.  And we will be rewarded with His help, a greater peace of mind, and a feeling of joy even in the midst of trials.  Trust in God.

***

Sermon:

"Trust in God"