Trust

Trust. It's no coincidence that the word trust, in the English, begins and ends with the letter that most resembles the cross. It's almost a visual display of our trust journey. Our trust begins with the cross. It begins when one first understands the incredible love behind the sacrifice that Jesus made specifically for you. The free access to God's grace and love and the removal of all sin evokes a love in response to the magnitude of the love we have been shown.

Just as there are letters between the two “crosses” in trust, we then begin a journey. After we have our moment of salvation in which we accept the powerful acts performed for us on the cross, we begin to realize what this means for our lives. Just like dominos in a line, the salvation experience sets into motion changes in every area of life. Ultimately, trust comes full circle with another “cross”. We take up the task of carrying the cross to the rest of the world. From receiving to giving, we have come to fully lean on or place all of our life on the gospel. This full leaning or placing of reliance on something embodies the meaning of trust.

How do we know we are trusting? Trust isn't an emotion- and thank goodness- because emotions are changing. Trust is peaceful, open-handed living. We are fully open to give all that we are called to give, and we are fully open to receive all that we are being given by God. One of the best ways to check your trust is to check in what you're investing your three T's: tithe, time, and titles.

Trusting God with our finances lives in the knowledge that it is all His anyway. It also lives in the peace of trust that all needs will be supplied. How is your trust in this category? The next T is time. Verbs having to do with time often denote it as a currency- “spend time”, “waste time”, “save time”, etc. The time we have been given is a precious commodity, so what we spend it doing shows what we trust to have the most value. Do we trust in the value of God's kingdom enough to do whatever we spend our time doing for the glory of God? How is your trust in this category? Finally, the last T is title. Everyone has many titles. Mother, brother, boss, teacher, pastor, student, artist, etc. Each of these titles indicates relationship to a certain number of people. These relationships are opportunities for powerful connections for the kingdom. We are entrusted with titles so that we can take God's love and gospel to the people placed in our sphere of influence. Do we trust God with our titles? More importantly, could we still trust God without them? How are you using these titles you're entrusted with?

We have all been entrusted with much. The goal is to hear the precious words, “well done, good and faithful servant”. The question is, where are you in the process of trust?

Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10