Trust is defined by Webster’s as “firm belief or confidence in the honesty, integrity, reliability, justice, etc. of an other person or thing; faith; reliance.”

It doesn’t say for just certain situations but rather always.

We, Christians and nonChristians, tend to trust in people or things according to the context we seem fitting. I try as a Christian to put my trust in the Lord my God 100% as well as 100% of the time. Sure, I’m human and it’s hard to do, especially when loved ones are involved. This world is a cruel world and at times certain situations arise that pose a threat to us and/or our loved ones, where we deem force in acceptable toward those whose threat is directed at us.

When I read in the Old Testament about trust, I first think of Abraham and his son, Isaac. Abraham’s faith and trust in God led him to almost sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22). His trust wasn’t hindered because of the expected consequences, his lose? cose? and his son’s death. He remained strong in his trust in God and the final outcome was that God provided a different sacrifice and his son’s life was spared.

We are also told of the blessings promised due to his faith and trust. In Genesis 22:17, “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies” Wow! What a blessing for maintaining trust and faith even this harsh circumstance. Myself as a Christian, which is of Abraham’s seed, is given the promise of my enemies’ defeats. It does not state an conditions or anything I have to do. It’s unconditional being of Abraham’s seed (Christians).

I have learned that I have a different view than most on this topic of trust. I feel that at a life (anybody’s life) is not mine to harm. We all belong to God, we are all His creations. When we take our feelings into account and disregard what God has commanded and asks of us, we have taken our trust and faith away from God. Without these basic necessities to being and living a Christian life, we are but an empty shell. If we don’t have trust in God we don’t believe in anything He has promised us. Here are a few of many verses that show the correlation between trust and God’s promises:

Psalm 4:5, “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord;”

Psalm 9:9, “The Lord will also be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble;”

Psalm 44:6-7, “For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me, but Thou hast saved us from our enemies and hast put them to shame that hated us.”

There are more than 190 listings of trust in the Bible and none to my knowledge steer away from trusting in God and doing it myself. We aren’t living the life we claim without trust in God.

I think that a God that would disregard his own son’s life so that others’ — even nonbelievers’ — lives world be spared, would expect and hope that us as believers would trust Him to handle all and any situations brought before us. After all, we believe that God was powerful enough to raise His son from the dead, so shouldn’t we also believe He is strong enough to handle our enemies that are trying to harm us? I personally believe that there’s nothing too difficult for my God to take control of. For Nehemiah 32:27 says, “Behold I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is there anything too hard for me?”

The Bible is full of stories of people being punished when they don’t trust God. Many of countries and/or cultural groups being defeated by smaller, less prepared groups that had trust in God. I feel that when I try to settle matters my way, the consequences escalate, whereas when I turn them over to God and trust His power, that outcome may look unfavorable at first, but in the end the finale is precious.

So ask God to forgive your sins, believe in Jesus Christ, his crucifixion and resurrection as well as have strong faith and trust in God and his words. Then you can join me and many others in this precious finale.

Jeff Long lives in Salisbury.