Thursday 14 January 2016

TRUST

When we love someone we reach a stage where we totally trust them without any fear or doubt. We give a part of ourselves to that person; we share our very soul. And in doing so we become vulnerable and we weaken ourselves, willingly, for the sake of that person and the love we have for them.

Trust is natural. It is part of us as soon as we are born. A child trusts his parents to take care of him and to have his best intentions at heart. A parent will not give a stone to a child seeking bread, or a serpent when he asks for fish.

But there are times in life when our trust in someone is broken, wounded, even dead. And when trust is dead, it is very difficult to win it back and to go back to a situation where you trust that person again as if nothing happened. In the back of your mind, there will always be doubt and fear to become as trusting and as vulnerable as before.

So, if trust is such a delicate and fragile emotion when dealing with other human beings, how difficult is it to trust someone you have never seen?

We say we trust God. He will look after us, and care for us come what may. But how is it possible to trust Someone we believe in through Faith alone and without any proof or evidence whatsoever?

There are times in life when things go wrong, very wrong, and we feel alone, abandoned, and totally helpless as well as vulnerable. How can we possibly trust an unseen God when He has let us down so badly? Or so it seems. How can we continue to trust Him when trust itself in such circumstances seems to be an illogical solution to the problems we face?

It must be a wretched and lonely place to be in when we can no longer even trust the very God Whom we claim to believe in.

But then ... even Jesus reached that stage in life when hanging on the Cross. He believed His Father had abandoned Him.

If Christ, the Son of God, can reach such moments of utter despair, then we are to be forgiven, perhaps, when at times of great difficulty our humanity succumbs to its basic inherent weakness and loses trust in its Creator.

We should take comfort and encouragement from Christ's example on the Cross. He came to earth as a human to experience and share our every emotion, including trust or the lack of it at times of great sorrow and despair.

He overcame His doubts on the Cross through the grace and love of His Father in Heaven.

So should we, when things are really bad in our lives, turn to God and earnestly seek His help in re-building our trust, perhaps weakened but never destroyed.

May I recommend:

"I Am With You" by Father John Woolley. It is a series of one-page words of divine inspirations given to Fr John in prayer. You open the book at any page and it is amazing how often God is speaking to you there and then about the problem you are wrestling with at the time. ISBN 0-950-8840-7-3

14 comments:

  1. My trust in Him has never faltered--even in the worst--because He has never done anything to break that trust. Humans will fail us---even those we assume would never do so--but HE is faithful to all He has promised!
    Great Post, Victor!
    Blessings!

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    1. Well said, Lulu. Sometimes it is our human nature that fails us and we feel abandoned; rather than the reality of the love and grace He showers on us.

      God bless.

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  2. Wonderful words, Victor. Seems that God is speaking to both of us along the same lines right now. I was amazed that you had written on the same subject today. I am finding that God has been reinforcing this to me in so many ways. I know you are praying for my family and me, and we appreciate it so very much. God bless you.

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    1. At the most difficult times in our lives, Cheryl, we should continue to trust God as best we can; through gritted teeth even.

      Praying for you and yours. God bless.

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  3. One of the quick one line prayers I frequently say is, "Jesus, divine fount of love and mercy, I trust in you."

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    1. A wonderful prayer, Manny.

      God bless you and yours.

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  4. My girlfriend would often say, 'Although you slay me, I shall trust You.' I find it hard to trust when circumstances sure seem to be anything but good, but His plans are to prosper us, not to hurt or harm us, aren't they?

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    1. You are so right, Lynn. God's plans for us are good; it is we whose nature lets us down and often we lose faith and trust.

      God bless you always.

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  5. Profound and thought-provoking. Trust is a huge deal in our lives. If we have it, live it, we are blessed indeed. If it's missing, our lives can feel hollow and way too vulnerable.

    Trusting God gives us wisdom that teaches us when and how and if to trust others. Thank God for the discernment He gives.

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    1. I agree Linda. Trust is such a precious commodity in these difficult days.

      God bless you.

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  6. So thankful I have a God who's been in human skin and knows my weaknesses and pain. What a wondrous thing this is.

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    1. What a lovely thing to say Debbie.

      Thank you for visiting me. We look forward to your many returns.

      God bless.

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  7. Thank you, as always, for sharing these thoughts with us. I have never read that book before, and have added it to my list. God bless you!

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    1. I highly recommend Fr Woolley's book.

      God bless you Michael.

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