Trusting is Believing

In Eph 1:12-13, Paul said they trusted in Christ; they believed in Christ.  Trusting is believing.  The definition of trust is to believe (rely on the truthfulness of) to depend (to place confidence in, rely on) to hope (to hope or expect confidently).  They key to depending on the Lord and hoping in him is believing.  

In dealing with my own lack of trust and in talking with Christians about theirs, I’m seeing common problems.  Sometimes, we aren’t sure of the Lord’s direction.  Sometimes, we lack the peace of God.

According to Prov 3:5-6, we must depend upon the Lord for direction.  However, many times the Lord’s direction doesn’t seem to be clear.  We are depending upon the Lord.  We are hoping in the Lord.  But the path is not clear.  The reason is that trusting is believing in him and in his words, Eph 1:13.  

Trusting the Lord for Direction

Prov 3:5-6.  The verse says that if you trust the Lord, he’ll direct your paths.  However, you trust him but you aren’t getting his direction.  What’s the problem?  Let’s look carefully at what he said.  You must know what he said.  You must believe what he said.  Trusting is believing.

For the Lord to “direct thy paths”, you must trust him:

• With all thine heart.  When we come to the Lord for direction, we can’t be double-minded or half-hearted.  Often, our heart is directed toward what we want rather than to what the Lord may want.  We must be wholeheartedly seeking the Lord’s direction.

• Lean not unto thine own understanding.  Your own understanding distorts your view of God’s direction.  You’rs trying to understand it.  Rom 11:33 says, “how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out”.  Often, you cannot understand the way the Lord is leading you; and you don’t need to understand it.

• In all thy ways acknowledge him.  Most people are only looking for God’s direction in the BIG ways.  He is not directing them in all their ways. If you’re not following him in all thy ways, then you won’t be where you’re supposed to be when you ask for his direction in the BIG decisions.  And therefore you’ll always be uncertain of the direction you’re going.  

Do you depend upon him? Yes.  Do you hope in him? Yes.  Okay, then you are going to have to believe him.  And that means going back to what he said, believing what he said, and doing what he said.  If you’re not believing him, then you are not really trusting him.  And if you aren’t trusting him, he can’t direct your paths.

Trusting the Lord for Peace

Is 26:3-4.  These verses say that if you trust the Lord, you’ll have his peace.  However, you trust him, but you don’t have his peace.  What’s the problem?  Let’s look carefully at what he said.  You must know what he said.  You must believe what he said.  Trusting is believing.

For the Lord to keep you in perfect peace, you must trust him AND keep your mind stayed on him.  When your mind is stayed on him, you are thinking of him only and nothing else that draws your thinking away from him.  In Phil 4:6-7, the peace that passeth all understanding first requires that you “be careful for nothing”.  

You’re depending on the Lord; you’re trusting in the Lord; and you’re praying to the Lord.  But your mind is stayed on the thing you are praying about.  Your mind is not stayed on the Lord.  

Yesterday, I saw that the numbers of people currently in the hospital with Covid has escalated substantially.  Then I saw that another pastor in our state had to cancel his annual camp meeting.  So, I called him to discuss his decision.  At this point, I had no peace.  So, I came to the church and spent all afternoon in prayer and recording my Sunday school lesson.  I left here in perfect peace.

The moment you take your mind off the Lord, the anxiety returns.  His peace vanishes just as quickly as Peter’s faith diminished when he saw the wind boisterous.  When he began to fear, he began to sink.  And when you take your mind off the Lord, his peace dwindles.

Trusting the Lord for Safety

Prov 29:25.  This verse says that if you trust the Lord you’ll be safe.  This is like Ps 4:8, for instance.  However, you trust him, but you’re still afraid.  What’s the problem?  Let’s look carefully at what he said.  You must know what he said.  You must believe what he said.  Trusting is believing.

The verse says, “The fear of man bringeth a snare: BUT whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe”.  You see that “BUT”.  It tells you that you’re going to do one or the other.  You can’t trust the Lord and fear a person or a thing at the same time.  Think about it.  When a person fears another person, he walks on pins and needles to avoid the the thing he fears in the other person.  His safety is in his fearful reactions and responses, rather than in the Lord.  So, he never feels safe.

Look at Ps 56:3, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee”.  This results in Ps 56:4, “In God will I praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me”.  See the connection between praising his word and trusting in God.  Look at Ps 18:1-3, and see just how capable God is to keep you safe.  

Conclusion to Trusting is Believing

Prov 16:20.  This verse says that if you trust the Lord, you’ll be happy.  You must believe what he said.  Trusting is believing.  He said, “whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he”.  Do you really believe this?  If you do and you start really trusting the Lord by believing the things he said about trust, you will be happy.