Faith along the way

Trust has been on my mind this week and I’ve been asking the Lord to speak to me about what He wants me to say regarding this subject. He just kept bringing this word, trust, to the front of my mind…so here are some thoughts on the subject. I hope it speaks to you.

Dictionary.com defines trust:

• reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence.
• confident expectation of something; hope.
• a person on whom or thing on which one relies.
• the obligation or responsibility imposed on a person in whom confidence or authority is placed (a position of trust).

A few synonyms would be: faith, hope, dependence, confidence, sureness, entrustment, reliance, gospel truth (I love this one!).

So now I’m thinking about those people I place my trust in, those people in my life who have proven trustworthy. I’m thankful and blessed to have people in my life who are proven to be someone I can trust and rely upon; however, people are human, and we are all subject to letting others down, failing to always be trustworthy. What do we do when that happens?

We’ve all failed someone. We’ve all had someone who has failed us in some way. We’ve all had those people we love and trust who have broken that trust. It can be devastating, hurtful, and even rock us to our core. I’ve found over the years that if someone I truly love has hurt me, I want to take measures to restore that relationship, to forgive, to not allow bitterness to fill my heart, to work on building that trust again. (It’s not always easy.) Some people are very much worth the effort. I would want them to forgive me, if the shoe was on the other foot, so to speak. Some friendships may have run their course, and it may be time to bring them to an end. It’s something we each should take time to pray about.

I am fully aware that some relationships are toxic and need boundaries. I’ve had one such relationship in my life. I love with boundaries set in place so I can continue to love this person. I am a big proponent of healthy boundaries…not to change a person, but to ensure a healthier relationship, so I can continue to love someone and not be filled with anger or bitterness toward them, and I refuse to be manipulated or controlled by a toxic relationship.

I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you about the One who is most trustworthy in my life, the one who has never let me down nor will ever fail me. He is my Lord and Savior, my God. His name is Jesus. I am so thankful for His love and presence in my life. It is because of Him I can love others as I should. He is my example. Psalm 4:5 encourages us to put our trust in the Lord. Psalm 4:8 says I can lie down in peace and sleep because He will make me dwell in safety. How encouraging that is to me! I hope it encourages you.

I also want to encourage you if you are struggling with something…a trust issue, a hurt, a burden, or even a decision you need to make…take it to the One who is always trustworthy and never fails us. Take it to the Lord. Seek Him in prayer, read His word. Ask someone to help you pray. Prayer is powerful. The Lord hears and answers prayers.

Blessings to you,

Jackie