The Importance of Trust

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” –Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

We cannot function without relationships because humans, by our very nature, are beings who were created to live in community. That being said, the elements of faith, positive expectation and reliance must be present to ensure we get the most out of our interactions with others. The key tools we all need to build a sturdy foundation for a healthy community can all be summed up in one word: trust.

The Role of Trust

Ever heard of a trust fall?  It is an exercise that seeks to strengthen a group’s faith in one another. It involves one person closing their eyes, crossing their arms and intentionally falling back, while other  group members catch them so they avoid hitting the floor.

This seemingly trivial group activity embodies the very essence of trust. Essentially, the person falling restricts their sight and mobility as they willingly throw themselves to the ground. This means they have to have a firm belief that the people around them will catch them.

In life, we will stumble from time to time, so having faith and confidence in those around us to break our fall is not only comforting in the moment, but is crucial to human survival.

Trusting God

How can we be so sure? Because the Creator designed us that way. Human beings aren’t born distrustful. On the contrary, from the minute we enter the world, we are dependent on our guardians to nurture and care for us. Even as we grow older,  we remain reliant on them and look to them to provide for our needs. It is only when we mature and experience hurt and disappointment do we fear placing our faith and trust in others.

If you’re anything like me, constant unmet expectations might have made you reluctant to trust wholeheartedly. That is why it is so important to place your faith in the only one who cannot lie and never changes. God knows if we place all our hope in man, we will be constantly disappointed. This is why He urges us to place our faith in Him first and foremost. In the book of Jeremiah, the young prophet states: 

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” –Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV

Why We Must Trust

Like love, the element of trust is a fundamental virtue that holds the world together. Its very nature enables the development of bonds, allowing people to live and work together, feel secure about themselves and garner a sense of belonging. Without trust, family relationships disintegrate, organizational structures collapse and nations go to war. 

Though it appears to be a natural response to betrayal, harboring distrust only pushes an individual farther into isolation. This drives them deeper into mental bondage; a state of mind that is used by the enemy to keep them bound to destructive habits.

Battling bad habits and negative thinking patterns is a daunting task that can feel lonely at times. Although betrayal may have been one of the main factors that led you to living in your head, it is crucial for you to take the necessary steps to begin trusting again.

That process begins with relinquishing all of your thoughts, feelings and emotions to God. The Father calls us “blessed” when we trust in Him because when we exercise our faith, we become anchored in His promises. Other people –through intentional or inadvertent actions– are bound to let us down from time to time. Still, these seasons of disappointments are not designed to keep us discouraged.

When we are rooted in Christ, we will be able to stand firm in the face of adversity. As long as we remain grounded in God’s word, dry seasons will not phase us, and in the midst of the droughts of life, we will still be capable of bearing good fruit.