Learning to Trust Him
Key Thought | Faith grows when we move from saying we trust God to living like we do.
“For the Scriptures tell us, ‘Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.’ When people work, their wages are not a gift but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.” —Romans 4:3–5 (NLT)
Faith happens when we stop striving to make something happen by our own effort and instead trust someone else, God, to do it for us. It’s the one posture that stands in complete opposition to self-reliance.
The verse above is foundational to salvation: we are made righteous not by our works but by faith in Christ and what He has already accomplished. Yet this truth goes far beyond salvation; it reaches into every promise God has spoken, both in His Word and personally to our hearts.
Lately, I’ve been meditating on Romans 4, especially this passage:
“Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, ‘That’s how many descendants you will have!’ And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb. Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.” —Romans 4:18–22 (NLT)
Abraham simply trusted God.
Like Abraham, I’ve discovered there are areas where my trust in God is strong, and others where it’s fragile. I’ve seen God move time and again, proving Himself faithful even when I’ve been faithless. He has brought me through difficult seasons, and yet, certain moments still shake me deeply.
Over time, I’ve realized those moments aren’t always attacks of the enemy; they’re often the loving touch of a Father revealing where my trust still needs to grow. God brings those weak places to the surface, not to shame us, but to strengthen us.
In a world filled with noise – social media, headlines, anxiety – it’s easy to forget that God is still in control. I’ve often said I trusted Him with my mouth, while my heart told a different story. The evidence of that disconnect was anxiety.
Is worry a sin? Maybe. But I’ve come to view it more as a signal, a sign that something in me isn’t aligned. My beliefs and my emotions aren’t in integrity with one another. Integrity, after all, simply means “wholeness.” When our beliefs and our feelings don’t line up, it’s a clue to pause and let Jesus address what’s underneath.
Trust is one of those living things. It’s either being strengthened or growing weaker. It’s true in marriage, friendship, and most certainly in our relationship with God. We’re either tending to it or neglecting it.
So, how do we strengthen trust?
This is the “work” of faith: finding Scriptures that speak directly to our weak places, writing them down, meditating on them, and allowing them to travel the long road from our heads to our hearts. God’s Word has the power to reshape our inner reality.
“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” —Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV)
You and I have two think tanks, our mind and our heart. The work of the believer is to plow the heart, to bring the truth we know in our minds into the place we actually believe it.
Trust Him. Build it. Strengthen it. And watch how it transforms your life.
Prayer | Father, thank You for Your faithfulness. You’ve proven Yourself time and again, and yet I confess there are still places in my heart where I struggle to trust You fully. Help me to strengthen those areas through Your Word. Teach me to meditate on Your promises until they become my heart’s reality. I choose to rest in Your goodness and believe that You are able to do all You have promised. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Journal | What situations trigger fear or anxiety, and what might they be revealing about your trust? How can you practically let truth travel from your head to your heart this week?
“For the Scriptures tell us, ‘Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.’ When people work, their wages are not a gift but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.” —Romans 4:3–5 (NLT)
Faith happens when we stop striving to make something happen by our own effort and instead trust someone else, God, to do it for us. It’s the one posture that stands in complete opposition to self-reliance.
The verse above is foundational to salvation: we are made righteous not by our works but by faith in Christ and what He has already accomplished. Yet this truth goes far beyond salvation; it reaches into every promise God has spoken, both in His Word and personally to our hearts.
Lately, I’ve been meditating on Romans 4, especially this passage:
“Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, ‘That’s how many descendants you will have!’ And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb. Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.” —Romans 4:18–22 (NLT)
Abraham simply trusted God.
Like Abraham, I’ve discovered there are areas where my trust in God is strong, and others where it’s fragile. I’ve seen God move time and again, proving Himself faithful even when I’ve been faithless. He has brought me through difficult seasons, and yet, certain moments still shake me deeply.
Over time, I’ve realized those moments aren’t always attacks of the enemy; they’re often the loving touch of a Father revealing where my trust still needs to grow. God brings those weak places to the surface, not to shame us, but to strengthen us.
In a world filled with noise – social media, headlines, anxiety – it’s easy to forget that God is still in control. I’ve often said I trusted Him with my mouth, while my heart told a different story. The evidence of that disconnect was anxiety.
Is worry a sin? Maybe. But I’ve come to view it more as a signal, a sign that something in me isn’t aligned. My beliefs and my emotions aren’t in integrity with one another. Integrity, after all, simply means “wholeness.” When our beliefs and our feelings don’t line up, it’s a clue to pause and let Jesus address what’s underneath.
Trust is one of those living things. It’s either being strengthened or growing weaker. It’s true in marriage, friendship, and most certainly in our relationship with God. We’re either tending to it or neglecting it.
So, how do we strengthen trust?
This is the “work” of faith: finding Scriptures that speak directly to our weak places, writing them down, meditating on them, and allowing them to travel the long road from our heads to our hearts. God’s Word has the power to reshape our inner reality.
“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” —Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV)
You and I have two think tanks, our mind and our heart. The work of the believer is to plow the heart, to bring the truth we know in our minds into the place we actually believe it.
Trust Him. Build it. Strengthen it. And watch how it transforms your life.
Prayer | Father, thank You for Your faithfulness. You’ve proven Yourself time and again, and yet I confess there are still places in my heart where I struggle to trust You fully. Help me to strengthen those areas through Your Word. Teach me to meditate on Your promises until they become my heart’s reality. I choose to rest in Your goodness and believe that You are able to do all You have promised. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Journal | What situations trigger fear or anxiety, and what might they be revealing about your trust? How can you practically let truth travel from your head to your heart this week?
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