Trust – Reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc. of a person or thing; confidence.
God’s Word has a lot to say on the subject of trust – as a matter of fact, it is vital to salvation. We must trust He is Who He says He is and that He can do what He says He can do. Many Christians say they trust the Lord (including me), but do they really? Do I really?
God brought that question to my attention recently while on a trip in a small airplane. I was sitting next to my husband, a pilot, headed to Arkansas to visit family. The airplane climbed up into the air as my husband operated the controls with expertise. Then God spoke: You trust him so implicitly. You will climb into any airplane with him and never give it a second thought. Why don’t you trust Me in the same way?
Hmmmm. I don’t trust You implicitly? Why not? I’ll get in an airplane with my husband, no matter the weather, no matter where we are headed, and never sense an ounce of trepidation. I have complete faith in him as a pilot. He knows how to fly, he knows when to be scared, he knows when to stay on the ground. That is his job.
On the other hand, God, the Creator of the universe, gave my husband this knowledge, and His knowledge is far greater: He knows much more than weather, aviation principles; the list is endless. Creating and maintaining the universe is His job.
So why, in my life, when I’m about to encounter a situation that could be dangerous or simply dealing with the unknown, am I afraid? It stems from a lack of trust.
According to statistics, 20-30% of people are apprehensive about flying; 2-10% are at phobic levels. Sarah Schlichter wrote an article giving five steps on how to deal with the fear of flying. They are as follows:
• Know what to expect – learn the basics of how airplanes work
• Familiarize yourself with your plane – know what your plane looks like
• Choose an aisle seat – you’ll feel less claustrophobic and won’t get scared looking out the window
• Monitor your media intake – avoid airplane disaster movies, don’t dwell on news coverage of plane crashes
• Think positive – try to focus on the fun things you’ll do once you reach your destination
Could I possibly make a 5 point checklist of how to trust my Lord?
• Know what to expect – God wants the best for His children
• Familiarize yourself with His Word – read the MANY accounts of His faithfulness to His people (even in seemingly bad/scary situations)
• Choose an aisle seat – or any seat in a church where God’s Word is preached – it solidifies your faith
• Monitor your media intake – what you feed into your mind will affect how you think, act, and feel
• Think positive – memorize Scriptures that encourage trust and quote them often
“Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.” Isaiah 26:4
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