As I’ve talked about in my previous blogs “Hearing from God, Parts 1 and 2,” he can be speaking to us through music, other people, thoughts and even a soft voice, etc.  But there’s another part to this well-oiled machine and that is Trust.

Trusting what you believe you hear from God often brings the questions we all have at one time or another: Now what do I do?  Did I really hear from him?  This is the time I believe we need to make sure that what we’ve just heard lines up with scripture.  If it doesn’t, what you heard may not be God.  If it does, it’s now time to put your trust into your creator and trust that he knows what’s best.

• Websters Dictionary © 1999 states that Trust is: 1. Reliance on the integrity, ability of a person or thing.  2. Confident expectation, hope.  3. One on which a person relies.  4. The responsibility imposed on a person in whom confidence is placed.
• Google definition states that Trust is: “a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.”

Trusting God is like trusting a friend, a parent, a sister or brother, a co-worker.  The trust comes from knowing.  Do you trust your friend without ever knowing who they are?  I highly doubt it.  Trusting God is the same.  It comes from knowing him and the truth that comes from his Word – the Bible.  Otherwise, we can find ourselves putting our trust in our own natural thoughts rather than our spiritual thoughts.

Trusting God can be scary.  Let’s just get that truth out of the way right now.  God’s truth and a relationship with him is not always easy because we also have the world that comes against us at the same time.  But trusting him is what brings peace and comfort when all the world wants to do is bring confusion and disappointment.

“God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19

Let’s take a year and a half ago when I found myself laid off from work, for the second time and very unexpectedly I might add.  I was devastated and embarrassed as I packed up my desk (thankfully I’m not one who keeps lots of personal items at the office) and walked out doing the very best that I could to keep my head above water as I said goodbye to a few of my closer co-workers.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
Proverbs 3:5

I found myself in a panic mode and more scared than the first time I was laid off because now I was older – 58 years to be exact.  The enemy began to immediately go to work in my thoughts:  “No one will hire you, you’re too old now; employers are looking for younger people” and so on and so on.

As I boarded the train on my way home on a Spring afternoon, my fingers started to dial every contact I knew off the top of my head, letting them know I was now available for work.  I knew the chances were pretty slim I would hear those words “Yes!  I want you to start tomorrow,” but I needed to do something and this is what I knew.

Tears were shed and anger set in but things seemed a little different than the last time.  This time I had a relationship with God that I didn’t have before.  I prayed for Him to show me the way, to watch over me and let me lean on Him.  I allowed myself a couple of days to wallow in my sorrow and gather my thoughts and composure, but that was it – just a couple days.  Then it was off to the races.  But don’t let me kid you, I still had moments of uncertainty.

During my prayer time and throughout my days I would hear a small voice in my head telling me “you’re going to be alright.  I need you to do your part.”  And what was my part?  Creating a profile on Linkedin (at the suggestion of a friend).  Remember me saying that God works through other people for our good?  He sure was working through Kathy on that day.  I created my profile and very quickly I had several head hunters contacting me.  I sent out my resume and each morning, M-Fri, I spent specifically on job hunting and setting up interviews.  I was doing my part and trusting God on his part.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15

After a handful of interviews and no call backs, I landed a job that offered me more money than what I was making before.  That job started just five weeks after I was laid off and guess what?  It was closer to home so no more having to take the train.  Instead of an hour and 15 each way, it was 20-25 minutes.  And instead of a few drama-driven co-workers, I was now with a firm where my co-workers worked as a team!

Trusting God requires that we too take responsibility to do our part and allow Him to do his.  I encourage you to never lose your trust in what God can do on your behalf.  His timing is unknown.  We just have to trust Him.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:6-7

Remember, to trust what you believe you’re hearing from God comes from knowing who God is and the truth of who You are in Him.  The more truth you know, the more you believe and the more you believe, the more you Trust.