In What Are You Trusting?

Politics have become quite polarizing in recent years. Why is there so much dissension surrounding human governments? Simply stated, it’s because they are run by humans!

I think most people have ideas of what they think a just nation should look like. The problem is, these ideas vary from person to person. Unity in a nation will only come when an idea is shared, and when everyone is standing on the same foundation.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12).

With God and His Word as the foundation, blessings will follow.

Printed on all currency in the United States is “In God We Trust”. In the Pledge of Allegiance, we say “One Nation Under God.”

But do those words line up with our actions? Do we truly trust God? Do we follow what He says? Are we willing to submit to His commands, which are given for His glory and our good? Is our hope in Him alone?

How would you answer the question: In what are you trusting?

Strength?

The Bible tells us about an ancient king named Nebuchadnezzar. He was a very proud man, and powerful. He was the leader of an expansive kingdom. Nations and people feared him and his armies. He came to believe that it was all because of his own power and that it was all for his glory (Daniel 4:28-30). But God made sure that Nebuchadnezzar was put in his place, right then and there:

“While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen…until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws” (Daniel 4:31-33).

For seven years, this once powerful king (or so he thought) lived like that. Talk about a humbling experience! When God finally released Him from that punishment and his sanity was restored, Nebuchadnezzar said:

“ And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:  And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth…” (Daniel 4:34-35).

You see, no one on earth has strength that is not given by God, nor strength that can’t be taken away by God at any time. We are wrong to think that we can somehow become strong and powerful enough to control our own lives and make things happen the way we want them to.

Instead, we should pray as the psalmist did:

“My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever” (Psalm 73:26).

And remember that:

“…they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

No matter what you face, you can find peace in every circumstance because your faith is not in your own perceived power, but in God’s real power and sovereignty. The reason you can trust in God this way is because He showed His love for you when He sent Jesus Christ to set you free from the power of sin and death, and to enable you to have access to the throne of God and find all you need for this life. He also gives sustaining hope of eternal life in Heaven when you die.

The Apostle Paul said he learned how to be content, no matter what he faced – good or bad – because it wasn’t his own strength that He trusted in. Instead, he wrote, “ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).

Money?

Are you constantly consumed with paying bills, making purchases, earning money, and building wealth? There is nothing inherently wrong with money. It’s part of life, and we need it to live in society. However, it’s when money becomes our sole focus – an idol – that we should take a step back.

When Jesus walked this earth, he spoke a parable to the crowds who were listening to Him:

“The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:16-21).

Jesus was not saying that we shouldn’t build proper structures and take care of the blessings we receive. The point of this parable was that we should not be like this man and put so much confidence in money and wealth and things, as though they provide our security. Notice how Jesus drew attention to the fact that money cannot prevent your death. And if it doesn’t have power over death, it doesn’t provide real security at all. Instead, our attention should be on God and where we will spend eternity.

The Apostle Paul also taught that we should flee from the love of money, which is at the root of all kinds of evil (greed can bring a lot of pain and sorrow in its wake!), and instead “… follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life…” and to not “trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:10-12, 17).

Also remember that when you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, your confidence is not in money, but rather in His faithful presence and promise to meet all of your needs.

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

People?

Do you think if certain people get in power or stay in power that they will make life better? Do you think you can trust in others to make you secure or keep you safe?

The prophet Jeremiah prophesied against his own people for how far they had wandered from God. Because of that, they definitely could not be trusted.

“‘Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders. And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity. Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:4-6).

There were many times in Israel’s history when the people chose to trust in other nations than in God, who alone had the power to overcome their enemies. God warned them not to turn to Egypt for help, because Egypt would eventually fall and lose all its power, but they did it anyway. He reminded them:

“Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit…” (Isaiah 31:3).

They refused to accept this promise of God:

“In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not” (Isaiah 30:15).

The psalmist warned:

“Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Happy is he…whose hope is in the Lord his God: Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever” (Psalm 146:3-6).

God’s blessings are on those who trust Him. Have you looked to Jesus for salvation and received true security in His forgiveness and grace? In Him, you can have true peace:

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3).