Trust is....

“But blessed is the man who trusts me, God, the woman who sticks with God. They’re like trees replanted in Eden, putting down roots near the rivers— Never a worry through the hottest of summers, never dropping a leaf, Serene and calm through droughts, bearing fresh fruit every season. (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

What comes to mind when you hear the word "trust"? If you are like me, you might immediately go to the idea of being able to rely upon someone because of their integrity. They exhibit steadfastness of character and strength that invites you to 'trust' their ability. Some may go the route of saying 'trust' means you can count on something or someone. None of these definitions is wrong - they are all accurate ways to describe trust. There is one other way to describe trust - probably the most accurate of all - Jesus. He is the one with supreme ability and strength; integrity that goes beyond whatever we have seen modeled in others; and the foundation upon which we can fully place our weight upon.

There is something about trust that actually causes a change of position for each of us. We move from self-reliance to a reliance on something or someone outside of ourselves. We learn a different way of dealing with life's challenges - not by our own strength, but 'within' the strength of another. That may seem a little disconcerting to some because reliance upon anything other than one's own ability seems a little too risky. There is a hesitation to put all of one's eggs in one basket, so to speak. The more we resist letting God carry our eggs, the more our eggs are subject to some pretty 'jarring forces' that will leave us with more than a few cracks and spoiled eggs!

Trusting God and living within his embrace doesn't mean we are uprooted and made to live our lives in an unpleasant, ritualistic or religious way. It means we are 'replanted' in a place where we can grow freely - because all we need for healthy growth is provided there. I think there are a whole lot of 'religious' people in this world that have made us think 'trusting in Jesus' means we give up everything we desire. God works with our desires, purifying them so what is produced through those desires is 'good fruit', untainted by the impurities of bad choices. We yield our desires for his inspection - allowing him to point out when a desire may be something that will bring anything other than a good outcome in our lives.

We looked at what some think trust is, but what does trust 'do'? Trust places us upon a solid foundation - one that has been tested already and found to be trustworthy. Trust brings us into places where provision has already been made - we just need to learn to tap into it. Trust engages us in life - not as passive observers, but as active participants. Trust brings forth growth - not just signs of life, but actual fruit. Why is fruit so important? Fruit brings more life - for the seed is within the fruit. God isn't looking for our religious piety as much as he is asking us to trust him to 'replant' our lives in a place where we are assured of a much better harvest than we could ever accomplish on our own. Just sayin!