The Bible for Women

Weekly Devotional

Our Trust in God or His Trust in Us?

Jeremiah 17:7-8 states, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

When I read those words, I think to myself, "Do I truly trust the Lord? Do I fear when trouble comes my way? Do I worry?" I must admit that there are times when I do worry. There are times when I face adversity and I am afraid. There are times when my leaves aren't always green. This scripture from Jeremiah lets me know that God demands my trust in him if I am to succeed. This verse lets me know that if I do put my trust in him, then I will indeed be blessed. We need to be careful in saying that we trust God, but then trying to plan our lives ourselves. When we plan out our lives and then ask God to help us carry out our plans, then we are asking God to put his trust in us instead of us putting our trust in him. We need to ask God to lead our lives and listen to what his will is for us so that we may succeed in his will, not our own.

Psalm 34:8 says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."

Psalm 84:12 says "O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you."

Many times, we see people around us prosper finanicially when we are suffering. We see people prosper with happy families when our family is hurting. We see people prosper with good health when we have been diagnosed with an illness. We see people blessed with children when we have none. We see people blessed with good marriages when ours is failing. We see those blessed with faithful children when our children have deserted the church. We see those who have found a husband with whom to spend the rest of their lives and yet we are alone.

We must find our focus on God and what he wants for our lives. We must indeed count our blessings. We must find that path that God has chosen for us and seek his will for our lives. Our happiness, our contentment, our wordly and our spiritual success depends on our faith, our hope, and our trust in God. Psalm 9:10 tells us "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you." God will never leave us if we know him. How do we get to know God? We get to know God by talking to him and letting him talk to us through his Word. We must share with him the desires of our heart. We must study his word so that we get to know who he is. When we know him, then the desires of our hearts will become what God's desires are for us.

Isaiah 30:18 states, "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!"

God wants to bless us. But he wants us to trust him. If we put trust in ourselves and not in him, then he cannot bless us. Psalm 62:8 tells us to "Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge."

May God bless your week. Margie