When Trust Becomes Your Only Option

Have you ever been tempted to think that simple trust was too easy?  Or that life wouldn’t work out without endless worrying and fretting?  When faced with an insurmountable mountain or an unconquerable giant what do you do? Is trust enough?

David’s Choice

As a young boy David tended his father’s sheep.  It was a job he did not take lightly.  David had become skilled with a slingshot in an effort to protect his father’s livelihood.  During the long, lonely evenings David found peace in the music of his harp. 

Songs of praise welled up in David’s heart as he learned of the Creator through his creation.  David recognized the declaration of glory that God’s world was steeped in.  It was in this school of life that David honed his knowledge of who God was and ultimately his trust in the Creator.

The Philistines had swept into the land and Saul’s army and the Philistines were at a stand-off.  David’s three older brothers had already joined Saul’s army.  David was in the fields still taking care of sheep.  Jesse, David’s father, worried about his sons, sent David to see how they were doing.

Trust in Spite of Taunts

During this journey into the army camp, Goliath’s taunts filled the valley floor.  David watched in surprise as man after man scurried to his tent.  The terrified looks on their faces were a great puzzlement to David. This man, Goliath, was a detriment to God’s people and needed to be stopped.

Questions were asked and answers were given.  As David conversed  with different soldiers, Eliab spotted him and angrily began accusing David of shirking his duty and being full of pride and deceit.

Eliab disdains David, but David persists in his pursuit of answers.  The news of this boys questions reach the ears of Saul.  David is brought before the king.  With a confidence unheard of among the soldiers of Saul’s army David announces that the king could cease worrying.  He would go and fight the Philistine. 

Another tirade of words that describe David’s unfitness for the job met his ears.  However, it was with a trust and confidence in his God that David proclaims that his rescue from Goliath’s hand was certain.  He trusted that the God that had intervened in the past, would intervene in the present.  He knew an unswerving faith would bring about victory.

Finally, the king, with much misgiving agreed that David could go out to fight the giant.  Moreover, the kings own armor was brought out and strapped upon this shepherd boy.

Bold Actions

Once again, David spoke up in defense of God.  David was not going to trust in another’s experience.  Not even the king’s own armor.  With a decisive choice, David removed the armor and headed out toward Goliath with his slingshot and his trust placed implicitly in the Lord of Heaven.

David had been placed in a variety of situations that could have thwarted his trust in God.   Eliab tried derision to turn him homeward. The obvious worry and fear of the army could have sabotaged his actions.  Furthermore, the king’s own armor was used to encourage David to put his trust in an unknown entity.  However, in all these instances David staunchly returned to trust in his God.

David had no time for worry and despair. He walked boldly toward the giant.  Furthermore, he had already determined that God could be trusted to work as he had in the past.  The armor was not needed.  God was sufficient.

The taunts became deafening as David crossed the brook.  Defiance shimmered off of Goliath’s armor, but in heart of the young boy was a shining faith that brought victory.

Implicit Trust or Logical Doubt

How many times are we turned aside from our faith because of the derision of others?  Have you been tempted to wring your hands in defeat and say it can’t be done as Saul remonstrated?  Or have you turned away from a sure faith for another’s’ experience?

When the jagged ridges soar high and the taunting circumstances of our situation seem to deafen us with its impossibilities hang on to faith.  Put aside the worry and fear and place it in the hands of Jesus.

Let go of the burden of worry and immerse yourself in the knowledge of God.  This understanding of who God is will give birth to a deep dependence on Him.   When trials and tribulations come your way, turn your focus back to God.  Moreover, place your trust in the God of battles.

Move toward God with implicit trust and you will see victory come.  When you empty your life of the fretting and worrying a burden will be lifted.  Trust is possible.  Victory is sure.

 There will be times when we must choose to trust even when there seems to be other ‘viable’ options.  On the other hand,  there will be times when we are at the end of our rope and we’ll have tried recourse after recourse, all to no avail.  No other option will be visible but trust in the Almighty God.

God continues to move us toward a life of complete dependence.  He wants us to live in the place where trust becomes our only option whether other choices seem to open up before us or not.  When there are other feasible alternatives, humanly speaking, it becomes logical doubt. When all is said and done, we must determine, back-up or not, that trust is our only option.