It could be argued that learning to trust God is one of the most significant things a human being can do. But this trust must be based on an understanding of God’s all-power and goodness, as Christ Jesus illustrated, and then it can bring to our experience a feeling of calm and an expectancy of good with complete confidence. And if we are faced with frightening or painful circumstances, trust in God can become an oasis of peace, assuring us of our safety.
Little children express a natural trust. They instinctively turn to their parents for help in times of need, and in a loving home they feel certain they will be cared for in every way. The Bible encourages us to have the same natural reliance on our divine Parent.
Sometimes, however, circumstances may seem to overwhelm us, and fear may keep us from turning to God. We may feel cut off from the sweet, healing presence of God’s love. There are two verses in the Bible that have been especially helpful to me when fear or pain or both have seemed to block my ability to trust God: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5, 6).
