Who Do You Trust?

This morning I read a blog post by a Christian blogger who often reflects on things that are going on in our society today. The blog post that she published this morning is titled “Withholding Affection?” and it got me thinking about a few things. She started off her post with the following paragraph:

Withholding affection or withdrawing favor is not okay. It’s emotionally manipulative, psychologically abusive, and it’s what I call, “The Yo Yo.” It’s that place where I don’t know where I stand with you–Am I in? Am I out? Am I canceled forever? Am I supposed to do something to win back your affection? What did I even do to lose it? (Quote source and the rest of her post are available at this link.)

All good questions especially when someone is pushing our buttons or gaslighting us through punishment, control, or to manipulate us. She uses the example of social media, specifically Facebook, as she has been locked out of her account again, and apparently as she mentioned in her post this has happened several times over the past several years, and they end up lifting the ban at some point later (you can read about it in her post).

Her issue with Facebook reminded me of a pic regarding trust issues that was recently posted on FB that I thought was very relevant for the times in which we are living. I smiled as I could relate to that pic which I have included in this post. We live in an age of 24/7 news cycles, social media, disinformation campaigns, and smartphones capable of tracking our every move and conversation, so this pic is so, so relevant as well has funny. It also reminds me of a 1997 movie titled “Wag the Dog,” with several big name actors (Dustin Hoffman, Robert DeNiro, Anne Heche, and Woody Harrelson, to name a few). Here’s a brief description of the movie: “Shortly before an election, a spin-doctor and a Hollywood producer join efforts to fabricate a war in order to cover up a Presidential sex scandal.” (Quote source here.)

Well, you get the idea. Often, nothing is as it appears to be on the surface whether it is regarding trust issues or presidential elections. And on the topic of trust issues, did you know that the middle verse in the Bible has to do with trust issues? The middle verse in the Bible is Psalm 118:8 and it states:

It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. (NKJV)

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in humans. (NIV)

It is better to trust the LORD for protection than to trust anyone else. (CEV)

The author of Psalm 118 is assumed to be King David, and he certainly knew about trust issues. He totally trusted in God from his youth as a shepherd boy and the slayer of Goliath, and later on when King Saul was trying to kill him, and when David became King. In a blog post titled, “What the Story of David Teaches Us About Trust,” by Rebecca (no last name mentioned) who is the mother of twins, and she also has a Ph.D. in Religious Studies, she writes:

David’s trust in God allowed him to rescue sheep from the mouths of lions, to defeat Goliath, the nine-foot giant, with only a handful of stones, and to conquer countless enemies as king of Israel.

And so, a question to ponder as you think about David and his trust in God to work all things for his good, is this: Who do you trust?

Do you trust God to provide for you in all circumstances?

Do you trust him to rescue you from the mouths of bears and lions?

Or do you trust in things? In circumstances? In relationships, and mortgages, and jobs, and accomplishments?

Do you trust in your own power more than in that of God?

Trusting in these other things can be disappointing and exhausting. In fact, it is always disappointing and exhausting, since all of these other things are temporary. They don’t last. We are happy and secure when we have them, and anxious and depressed when we don’t.

Learning to trust in the love and the power of God gives you a security that allows you to face lions, rescue sheep, and say, “No big deal. I trust that God’s got this.” (Quote source here.)

This may be one of the shortest blog posts I’ve written in a very long time, but it’s the message that is important, and not the length of the blog post. So I’m going to end this brief post with two verses on one of the most important topics we have regarding God, and that is to trust God completely in everything. Here are those two verses found in Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him…

And He . . .

Shall direct . . .

Your paths . . . .

YouTube Video: “Heart of the Father” by Ryan Ellis:

Photo #1 credit here
Photo #2 credit here
Photo #3 credit here