The Struggle to Trust God, by Joannie Watson

“It’s hard to believe in our hearts that He can be trusted because we have been hurt when we trusted others.”

Happy the one who trusts in the Lord… It’s a phrase repeated throughout the Scriptures- in Psalms and Proverbs and Jeremiah. But perhaps at times it’s hard to believe and practice. Can I really trust God? When asked out loud, it seems like a ridiculous, faithless question. But in our everyday life, lived out… do I trust Him?

Actually, while the question spoken out loud seems to have an obvious answer – of course you can trust God! – I think our struggle goes hand and hand with our fallen human nature. From the very beginning, our first parents doubted that they could trust Him. A priest once pointed out to me that the entire story of Sacred Scripture is God the Father trying to convince us that He loves us, cares for us, and can be trusted.

Patiently and lovingly, He continues to try to convince us. It’s not just the story of the Old Testament. It’s the story of our lives! Do we really believe He is a Father who loves us? We so often live our lives with guards up, not wanting to be duped. But we can let our guard down with our Lord. …

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