Trust is more than just a word

 

Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your path straight.”

 
Why is trust such a hard concept to understand? Why is it that we throw the word trust around like we understand it or even know what it means? I am not one to just point fingers and call blame. No, not at all. I am right there with you-if you identify with it at all. I feel like I have acted like I have known what it means to trust, but I am just a young wee little grasshopper learning the ropes of such a BIG idea.
 

I would think that all the years I rock climbed with my brothers that I would understand trust when it came to holding onto a wall with nothing more than a rope.
 
If not then, maybe I would learn trust when I let go of my Dad’s hand as my training wheels came off my bike for the first time.
 
Or maybe I would understand trust when I let go of my heart to fall in love with someone for the first time trusting him to take care of it in love.
 
Maybe still I would have learned trust when I left my comfortable home of 23 years to live in 11 countries for the next 11 months of my life with the God of this universe.

 
Still the concept is so hard…but why?
 
Proverbs 3:5-6 explains it well. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your path straight.” Simply lean not on your own understandings. The answer to trust is…trust, but more importantly trust in the Lord.
 
I didn’t understand what this would look like in my life until I received a vision from God. I was worshipping one night and a vivid, colorful, detailed image flashed in my mind. There are moments I wish I could be back looking at that surreal scene depicted in my thoughts, but instead I tried to draw it out.
 
 

 
The image shows a beautiful and colorful adventure. There is an orchard of some trees that flow over green meadows and a hilly countryside. There are majestic mountains that crest into the scene in the background. The horizon is announced with a soft gentle appearance from the sun striking the blend of colors. The colors pop out from all directions. There is a hot air balloon floating over the whole countryside. The balloon’s beautifully bright colors carry it further and further into the sky. In the basket is a girl who is singing. Her singing is chosen and magical. The balloon floats without difficulty through the serene picture in my head.
 
I thought about this picture for many days and nights. I kept asking God what it meant. Why had I seen this that night at worship? I received no answer. I waited and asked again. No answer. Instead, I was working through another bible study that I picked up a little before the race and everything fell into place.
 
Trust.
 
As I was journaling that day about the bible study and many thoughts in my head, I started to write from my heart. I started to write words I might not have even thought about until I was staring at them on the page below.
 
“I know that your words have spoken to me. [The bible study focused on] ‘In quietness and trust I find strength’ Isaiah 30:15. What will that look like for me? Trust you with our team journey? Trust you with loving me through the ups and downs? Trust you will never leave me? Trust you! Why is it so easy to stress, stress, stress? I just use up all my time thinking about the things that you will take care of. I want to be free of these things. I want to sail above all worries in joyful praise. I want to be like my picture. I want to sit in the hot air balloon of God’s hands. I want to trust in that. Trust in being in his hands. Trust in my God’s strength in the same way I would have to trust the hot air balloon. I want to sail above the ups and downs in life. I want to sail above them like the balloon sails above hills and valleys. I will look at them but I won’t get lost in them. I will watch them but I will not get tired out by running through them. I want to stand singing in God’s holy works. I want to sing praise like the girl in the image. I want to look towards my Jesus not my problems. I want to continue to sing praises even when trials are ahead like the mountains for the hot air balloon.”
 
Trust is complex. Trust is needed. Trust is a deepening relationship.
 

Speaking at a church in the village on Trusting God

 
Even as the Lord was teaching me about these ideas, I had to experience trust to the fullest. I had to trust him again, and again, and again.
 
I was asked to speak at our church service in the village. I felt the Lord was telling me to speak, it was settled by a second person telling me they felt like I needed to speak. Immediately, I knew the Lord wanted me to share my vision. Share these thoughts on trust. And well…I needed to trust him in doing his will through it all.
 
I will tell you I am working on it daily, but I remember that I want to be in that mysterious vision to sing joyfully to my Lord through trusting him completely!