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How to Trust the Lord Deeply

  • greggstutts
  • Jul 4
  • 2 min read

What do you do when your situation feels overwhelming? When despite all you know to do, your circumstances aren't changing? When you feel like giving up?


I wonder if when we say or hear things like, "Just take it on faith", we somehow think it means we're supposed to stop thinking and hope it all works out somehow.


Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight."


It doesn't say to not lean on understanding, but to not lean on your own understanding. And the word "submit" literally means "to know".


In other words, trust the Lord with all your heart by leaning on His understanding and learning to know Him better.


Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."


God isn't suggesting we live a life of ignorance and confusion, never understanding why He does what He does. What if we take this as an invitation to learn His thoughts and ways by getting to know Him better?


Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."


The renewed mind is the mind of Christ. The more I learn to think like Him, the more I understand His ways and His will.


Hebrews 11:11 says, "And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise."


That word "considered" is the Greek word "hegeomai" and refers to a relationally-driven judgment about God's character. Sarah knew God had promised her a child and based on her confidence in His character, she trusted Him.


Hebrews 11:19 says, "Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death."


That word "reasoned" is the Greek word "logizomai" and has more to do with cognitive thinking. It's doing the mental math. Abraham knew God had promised him many descendants through Isaac, so if God was now asking him to sacrifice Isaac, then it was logical to believe God would raise him from the dead.


Biblical faith is not blind trust or hope.


It's knowing what God has said. It's knowing His ways. It's concluding that based on His character and His word, I can trust Him.


Most of all, it's simply knowing Him. Personally. Intimately. Like we know our spouse or a close friend. It's desiring the kind of relationship in Isaiah 41:8 where the Lord says, "Abraham My friend."


Deeper trust in the Lord doesn't grow out of striving, it grows out of friendship.

 
 
 

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