I’m looking at a “peculiar” type of trust today from the books of Daniel and Habakkuk. Imagine a trust that produced a “follow at all costs mentality” in people regardless of whether they got their own way or not.
“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
18 BUT EVEN IF HE DOESN’T, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
Daniel 3:17-18
I used the word “trust” because it doesn’t have the same religious connotations and undertones as the word “faith” — but in the context of this discussion, we can use them both interchangeably.
I’m talking about a trust that is not about bartering and trading with some “magical genie in the sky” to do your bidding — but is about seeking to do His bidding “at all costs”.
That seems to be a radically peculiar type of trust from what life teaches us about trust when dealing with other people. To trust a normal man of flesh and blood with your absolute dedication, regardless of how he treated you in return would be both absurd and harmful — because of the abuse that usually occurs when mere men are corrupted by the lure of absolute control/power. So we can understand that absolute, unwavering trust of fallible men is “no bueno”, not good.
But when we are dealing with a holy God (who is not like men, and who can be trusted fully) — instead of use the simple and common word “trust”, most religious folks interject the word “faith” when dealing with God because it implies a holy type of complete trust where the one being trusted is worthy of that trust. Whether or not the person has enough evidence yet to prove that God is trustworthy or not — He is trustworthy. That is who He is.
Habakkuk shares this same perspective that we can be joyful in the Lord, praise Him and trust Him regardless of our circumstances:
Though the fig tree does not blossom And there is no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive fails And the fields produce no food, Though the flock is cut off from the fold And there are no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the Lord ; I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation!
Habakkuk 3:17-18 AMP
For someone who doesn’t believe in God, everything they know about “trust” is based on what life has taught them about people — evidence/proof. So they say to themselves, “If I can’t trust people that I can see and try to hold accountable, why in the world would I trust in something that I can’t even see or confirm?” They look for evidence and proof first, before they are willing to believe ands have faith. It is a valid, practical logical question for a man of flesh and blood — but that approach works hard against the spirit man. And that is what confounds so many.
Lord, give us spiritual eyes to see and comprehend and discern spiritual things. Help us to have an eternity mindset that is firmly founded upon your worthiness and your unfailing faithfulness. These things are true. Please help us to accept that no single moment’s snapshot of circumstance shown to us by the accuser has to allow confusion or doubt to win. It is easy for us to think of the enemy as accusing us before you each day — but most of the accusations he brings against us are true. But when the accuser brings accusations against you, Lord, when He tries to steal you from us by way of doubt, confusion, and lies — help us to know and stand firm in our faith. You are worthy. Amen.
Harold J. Ballinger 