Trust
Who do you trust? Why do you trust them?
I place my trust in God, or, at least that is always my goal. I willingly put my trust in God because I know he won’t deceive me. I know God won’t do anything to hurt me. I believe God knows what is best for us. God never acts in his own self-interest.
People do deceive us. People do hurt us. People sometimes put themselves first. At other times, we read into other people’s actions. We might interpret their actions in a way that was never meant. So, I say I put my trust in God before people.
Yet, just recently somebody said to me that it is easier to trust in people than God. I was surprised by the comment because of what I said above. The conversation continued for the person to explain their comment. I realized that when they said “trust” they were referring to the fact that as we get to know people, we can predict how they might react (good or bad). With God, we might struggle to know what he is going to do. We know what we might like God to do but we don’t always get what we want.
Our own vision of a situation can be limited. The same is true for any human being. So, in similar situations we tend to make similar decisions. God sees everything and makes much better decisions.
So, I don’t know that it is easier to trust in humans but we might be better able to predict what humans might do. To better understand how God might respond is a life-long goal. We read the scriptures, we listen to homilies, we strive to open ourselves to the Holy Spirit so we do God’s will.
Who do you put your trust in?
Peace,
Fr. Jeff
First and foremost I trust in God! However since God is not physically in our lives and he has taught us that no man can be an island I believe God has put people in our lives to trust. For example I feel that God put a caring surgeon in my life when I needed one. He has also put other professionals and friends to trust and to be there when I need them. Sometimes God puts people in our lives that we trust because they ask to be part of our lives and then they choose to leave and that makes me ask God why He would allow someone I trusted to leave and be untrustworthy? Here again I have to trust that someday God will give me an answer.
What is your definition of trust? Does it root itself in faith in God, relationship with God, or an intellectual understanding of God?
I would define trust as being able to count on a person (or God) to fulfill what they promise to do. This is NOT the same as saying we count on them to do what we want them to do.
You asked if trust is rooted in faith in God, relationship with God, or an intellectual understanding of God. I believe trust in anyone, God or human, is rooted in relationship. We need to have some sort of relationship to trust them. If we know nothing about them, how can we trust them?
In the case of God, this relationship may begin in an intellectual understanding of God (from reading scripture or other material). Scripture tells the story of “Salvation History”; that is God’s relationship with his people. When his people were in need, God responded. These stories tell us that we can trust in God. That trust grows to a new level when we enter into a personal relationship with God.
Is trust rooted in faith in God? I believe they are one and the same. To trust God is to have faith in God.
God doesn’t always do what we want but we can count on God to do what is right.
Peace,
Fr. Jeff
So trust = faith?!? Does that mean that questioning = a lack of trust/ faith?
I don’t think questioning necessarily means we don’t have faith or trust in God. In fact, when we don’t understand why things are the way they are but still turn to God to ask questions it can indicate that we do trust in God (as the one who has the answers). If we don’t have faith or trust in God why would we ask him any questions.
Peace,
Fr. Jeff
Tell that to the Confession App I just bought for my ipod!