What it REALLY means to trust in God

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Please take a moment to reflect on this conversation, focusing on the last question.
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"Do you trust me?"
"Yes, I do, Lord Jesus. I trust you".
"Do you trust that I have the power to do as I say?"
"Yes Lord, I do. I don't doubt it one bit!"
"Will you trust me through it all as I do it my way?" (Selah).
Can you honestly and emphatically answer the last question? Can you trust in God to do it His way?
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This opening conversation captures where most of us may not be getting it right in our walk with God. What do I mean? We may have no reservations trusting in God's power to do as He says, but we may be hesitant to completely trust in the way He chooses to go about doing as He has said. Trusting in God, however, entails doing both.

What it really means to trust in God
It is trusting that God CAN do as He says, and trusting also that He knows HOW best to do as He has said! You really trust in God when you trust both in His ability/power to accomplish His word, and in the plan and strategy He chooses to do so. I call it trusting in His power and wisdom - that is what it really means to trust in God!

Let's see examples in Scripture, shall we?
The Scripture is replete with people who expressed this level of trust in God – trusting in His power, and not really in His wisdom.

Naaman, the Syrian army commander, in 2 Kings 5 was one. Yes, he believed the man of God, Elisha had the power to heal him of his leprosy, but he questioned the prophet's methods (v 10-12).

He didn't trust that the man who had the power to heal him had the best strategy to do so; he wanted to impose his own method on God! Listen to him sounding like an expert at curing leprosy, "Indeed, I said to myself, 'He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy'" (v 11). He went on, "Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" (v 12).

Don't we all do that; telling God what we want and how He should do it? Don’t we go to God with preconceived ideas of how we want our prayers answered, instead of wholly trusting in Him to do it as He plans? Don’t we have preconceived ideas of how we want Him to accomplish His word in our lives? Don’t we wish it happens quicker, or different from how it is unfolding? Sometimes, you find yourself saying, "Lord, I know you can do this, please do it this way or that way." We ask God to do it OUR WAY with HIS POWER! Rather than allowing Him do it HIS WAY with HIS POWER.


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But if God is ever going to bring His word to pass in your life, He'll do it His WAY with His POWER. And you have to trust in that completely!

Abraham, at one point, made this mistake, too. Granted, he trusted that God had the power to bring His word that he'd father many nations to pass, but he didn't completely trust in God's plan to bring to do as He had said. He went ahead to implement his way (by fathering a son through Hagar), trusting God's power to fulfill God's word! What blunder!

It doesn't really work that way. If God has the power to do it, then He certainly knows how best to deploy the power; using, not necessarily the “best”, but suitable methods and strategy considering you, your future and His grand plan for you.

The strategy He deployed with the fella across the street will most likely not be the same He'll employ with you. He may choose to heal the blindness of one by spitting in sand and forming mud with it, then rub it in his eyes and ask him to go wash, or He'll simply touch the eyes and he will receive his sight. He has the power and the best strategy. Trust in Him. Trust in His power. Trust in His wisdom.

Don't box God, efolks and want Him to work the way you expect. Don't try to impose your ways on His plan. Allow Him inspire His thoughts, strategy and plan in your heart. Don’t allow impatience, worry, fear of uncertainty, pressures rob you of God’s beautiful plan for you. Trust in His power; trust in the wisdom of His plan. That's what it really means to trust in God!

Because indeed, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts" nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9.

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Have you ever made the mistake of wanting God to do things your way? I have; how did you overcome that? And how do you present your requests to Him now? Do share it with us in the comments sections; I'd love to read your thoughts.