By Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).
Lately, I have been thinking about the meanings of these two words: “believe” and “trust.” As we face various situations in life, these two words come to the forefront in our walk with God.
The definition for believe is “accept something as true, feel sure of the truth of something.” The definition of trust is “firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone or something.” How do these definitions correspond with our view of God?
Hebrews 11:6 says “… anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” We can see “believe” and “trust” in this verse.
It seems fairly easy to believe that God exists. “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that- and shudder.” (James 2:19) Many people believe in God. Trust is another matter.
When we pray, do we trust Him to reward our effort to seek Him? Do we trust that He is reliable, truthful, able and strong? You see, we have to trust Him even when it appears that things may not go our way.
In the fifth chapter of Mark, Jairus came to Jesus because his daughter was deathly ill. Jesus was heading for Jairus’ home with him when Jairus was told, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Master any further?” Jesus, hearing what was said, told Jairus not to be afraid but to keep believing. Jesus was asking for a higher level of trust that superseded simply believing in Him. Jairus was being challenged to trust Him- even when it seemed all hope was lost.
Had we been Jairus, would we have stayed with Jesus or given up and walked away? We face situations that call on us to decide which we will do. Answers to prayer sometimes seem delayed, impossible or totally contrary to what we expect. This is when trust has to be present. We must trust God- no matter how it appears- to always do what is best for us.
Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.
Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter — Breanna.
Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.
by leaps and bounds 