Moms sometimes find themselves saying things they never expected. I remember being shocked when I had to tell our tiny-toddler firstborn, “No, we don’t play in the trash. We don’t eat things from the trash either.” I had to say this to her not once, but many times. I couldn’t understand how this was necessary. How could she want to play in the trashcan? How could she desire to put smelly, disgusting trash into her mouth?
One day, as I was teaching her this lesson yet again, it occurred to me—God has to do the same thing with me. Sometimes He has to reach down, turn me in a different direction, and say, “That’s trash. It will harm you. Stay out of it.” Why do I want to consume things that are trash? God’s patience and wisdom came alive to me that day in new ways as I realized the similarities between me and my toddler.
God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. He asks us to trust Him, to believe what He says, and much like small children, we may not always understand the reasons for His commands. The beautiful thing is that we can grow in our trust and understanding.
Paul prays in this way for the Colossian church:
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy
Colossians 1:9–11
To know God is to love God. The more we know the things that He has revealed to us in His word and the more we know about His character and works, the more we will love and trust Him. A similar thing happens when children learn more about their parents. As my daughter grew and understood more, she grew to trust me more. She trusted that I would provide her with food and safety. She grew quite convinced that I was a person to run to when she was hurt or in trouble.
We can do the same with God. As we look to Him, He proves His trustworthiness, and we trust Him even more. Learning to trust Him, we can face each day, leaning on Him more deeply. Even as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we fear no evil because He is with us. (See previous post.)
To trust God more, we need to grow in our knowledge of Him. We must recognize His provision and meditate on His promises. Standing in awe of His character, we worship Him and learn to trust what we may not fully understand.
Here are four aspects of God’s character that we can start meditating on today in order to know and trust Him better:
Our God is perfect in wisdom and truth.
Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite.
Psalm 147:5
For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
Proverbs 2:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
Romans 11:33-35
Our God is full of goodness.
Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!
Psalm 31:19
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Psalm 34:8
For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 100:5
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 10:11
Our God cares.
You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me.
Psalm 56:8–9
But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”
Lamentations 3:21–23
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:29–31
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Our God comforts.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Romans 15:4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.
2 Corinthians 1:3–4
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.
2 Thessalonians 2:16–17
As we face uncertainty or suffering, we can look to God for comfort. God knows exactly what to do in our lives and in the world around us. We don’t need to fear about what is happening in the world or even internally in our own minds. We can look to our God and Savior and completely trust Him.
We urge our children to trust us, even though we are not perfect and cannot perfectly guide them or protect them. We want them to know that we have something good planned for them, and even though they might need to do something difficult right now, it will turn out well in the end.
Our God is the perfect parent. His perfection extends to every part of His character—perfect in wisdom and power to carry out what is best in our lives. We can trust in Him at every point because He is perfectly wise, He cares for us, and He is perfectly good, and He comforts us.
What verses help you to trust God more? Join the conversation by adding some in the comments below!
Suggested Reading:
“Using the timeless book and example of Daniel as a guide, author Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth reveals how seeing our lives and world through the lens of Heaven’s rule can shield us from panic and give us renewed hope and perspective.” (Amazon description)
“For over 40 years, J. I. Packer’s classic has been an important tool to help Christians around the world discover the wonder, the glory and the joy of knowing God. In 2006, Christianity Today voted this title one of the top 50 books that have shaped evangelicals, and this 20th anniversary edition is updated with a new preface by the author.” (Amazon description)
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