Trust: An English Grammar Lesson

Because I believe in a foundational truth that words have power, I pay attention to words.  This morning while I was reading Psalm 115 the word trust jumped out.  Usually, when the word trust is set into a sentence, there is an implied recipient.  Trust will often then be followed by the word in.  In is then proceeded by a direct object.

Let's take a look at the following sentence.:

Keeping it simple, the implied recipient is You.   The direct object here is God.  Now let's reframe the sentence.  You, trust in God.  Simple.  We've just completed English 101.

Yet, people of God, we are missing the mark.  I'm not being hateful just observant.  We've come to see the word trust as an elusive, self-sustained, Noun that catapults us toward super believe, hyper-faith and out-of-this-world experiences we feel we can not achieve.  However, trust is not always a Noun.  It can also be a verb.  As a verb, trust is defined by synonyms like bank on, count on, rely on, be sure of.  As a verb, the direct object is always a Noun.  So if I say I trust in a chair to hold me, I will sit in the chair.  I won't stand around and not utilize the chair for fear it will not hold me.  I don't take time to analyze if the chair is strong enough, can be depended upon, or will hold me up this time even though it's held me up plenty of other times in the past.  I put my trust into action.  I trust without a second thought.  I trust and sit my po-po in the chair.

Point:  I will either trust God or I won't.  I will hand all my concerns, fears, wrong-believes, and expected outcomes limited by my imagination to God in a given situation or I won't.  Trust must be an active verb in a faithful Direct Object.

I am trusting God for a house.  So what does that look like?  How am I activating my trust?

I pray.  I pray back the promises God has given us for a place called Fahrenheit House.  It's not a wishful whisp of a hoped-for place but a knowing that God has given us a vision for such a place to accomplish a plan way bigger than ourselves.

I cancel fear with God's truth. Emotion gets in the way of activating my trust.  I get discouraged when I look at the reality of the price of the house against the reality of the balance of my bank account.  I get overwhelmed thinking about details of obtaining the house.  Emotions lead me down paths that go against God's truth.  God's truth says His plan is to prosper me, not harm me, to give me hope and a future. God's truth says that His people flourish.  My emotions have to be kept in check under the authority of God's truth.

I surround myself with others who have affirmed God's promise and vision.  I allow them to speak life to me.  I invite them to come alongside me.  I get others actively involved in what God is doing so they can be encouraged, challenged, and hear from God along with me.

If we are going to see God change the communities in which we live we must have active trust.  We must actively trust God for those things He has spoken to us about in the quiet places.  Usually, that for which we are trusting involves a vision for a desired end that will result in good both now and for eternity.  Others are counting on our active trust.

How might your corner of the world ... my corner of the world ... be affected by active trust in a powerful God?

Makes you wonder,
Christina