Choosing Trust

It's common to talk about trust as if it comes naturally, as if having faith in God makes you confident in Him. We discuss trust as something we either possess or lack, something that emerges after issues are resolved or situations get better. Scripture takes a different stance on trust. Trust is not an emotion that just happens. It is a decision that needs to be made repeatedly, frequently during ambiguous and indecisive moments.

It is rarely dramatic to choose trust. Usually, it is not accompanied by peace or assurance. It usually appears in the midst of hesitation, when results are still unclear and clarity is lacking. Scripture never implies that comprehension is a prerequisite for trust. It implies that trust starts where comprehension ends.

One woman is at a stage in her life where she is aware of the things she cannot control. She has attempted to plan, prepare, and predict results, but she has found that effort does not equate to security. That realization has altered her faith, but it hasn't caused it to crumble. Trust no longer seems natural. It seems deliberate.

She chooses trust because she is aware of the alternatives, not because she is certain.

Scripture provides us with language for such a choice. Believers are repeatedly urged to have faith in God even when there is no outward sign of assurance. Instead of depending on God's immediacy, they are encouraged to trust in His character. Trust is defined as faith in God's character rather than in results.

Selecting trust reveals how much we value control. Because it gives us something to manage, control feels safer. We are asked to live without guarantees by trust. We must give up the idea that meticulous preparation can remove uncertainty. Scripture constantly cautions against putting your trust in preparation, but it does not condemn it.

Trust becomes expensive at this point.

A man has spent a lot of time praying over a choice. He has requested clarification, assurance, and some sign that he is headed in the right direction. No one has arrived. He eventually comes to the conclusion that waiting for certainty might be another strategy for avoiding accountability. In his situation, choosing trust entails taking action without guaranteeing that everything will turn out okay.

Scripture does not guarantee that trust will always feel secure. It affirms God's faithfulness.

Prayers that choose trust in the face of uncertainty and fear abound in the Psalms. They don't downplay uncertainty. They talk openly about it. However, they keep coming back to statements of faith that are predicated on God's historical faithfulness rather than shifting conditions.

Scripture trust is frequently associated with remembrance. When present clarity is lacking, believers are called to recall what God has done as an anchor rather than as a replacement for current action. In the absence of signs, memory turns into a kind of trust.

Accepting that some questions will never be answered is another aspect of choosing trust. Unanswered questions are not presented in Scripture as proof of failure. It views them as a component of walking by faith instead of sight. Doubt does not negate trust. It refines it.

Choosing trust can sometimes feel like choosing restraint. refraining from pressuring results. Avoid reaching for answers. avoidance of fear-based reactions. Scripture repeatedly presents self-control as wisdom rather than weakness.

This type of trust was modeled by Jesus. He obeyed and proceeded without seeking assurance at every turn. Even when the path led through pain, he had faith in the Father's will. He didn't have a passive trust. It was intentional.

Our response to everyday life is shaped by the trust we choose. It affects how we act when the future seems uncertain, how we wait when nothing changes, and how we speak when we feel threatened. Although these answers don't attract much attention, they do show where the real trust lies.

Trust that is consistently chosen becomes more stable over time. It stops fear and uncertainty from controlling behavior, but it does not completely eradicate them. Scripture doesn't say that trust will make things easier. It assures us that trust will help us find our way within it.

This orientation is important.

Resilient trust is one that is chosen rather than assumed. It is less reliant on favorable conditions. Delays and disappointments don't shake it as much. It learns to hold together even when things don't turn out as planned.

Selecting trust does not entail denying doubt or acting assured. Scripture allows for candor. Trust develops when the truth is accepted but still given up, not when it is denied.

There are times when it seems difficult to choose trust. The complexity of reality is the reason, not a lack of faith. This endeavor is not shamed by Scripture. It confirms it. Making the effort to choose trust is not a sign of a lack of faith. It is proof of involvement.

Untested trust is merely theoretical. Relentlessly chosen trust is lived.

Believers are regularly invited into this type of trust by Scripture. Trust that is chosen every day in the face of uncertainty, rather than trust that comes once and resolves everything. trust that endures despite a lack of clarity.

Eliminating fear is not the goal of choosing trust. It's about not letting fear rule your actions.

Securing results is not the goal. It's about staying true to the truth.

You might never feel comfortable with this type of trust. It might always be necessary to have intention. That is not viewed as a weakness in the Bible. It handles it as if it were faith in action.

Scripture also tells us that this kind of trust is not misguided. It is respected because it shows dependence on God rather than authority, not because it results in certainty.

Scripture asks us to choose that trust.