Trust

Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; ...
Job 13:15 (New International Version)

Years ago a military officer and his wife were aboard a ship that was caught in a raging storm at sea. Seeing his wife’s fear, the man tried to comfort her. Suddenly she grasped his sleeve and cried, "How can you be so calm?"

He stepped back and drew his sword. Pointing it at her, he asked, "Are you afraid of this?"

"Of course not!" she answered.

"Why not?" he inquired.

"Because I know you love me too much to hurt me," she said.

He replied, "I also know the One who holds the winds and the waters in the hollow of His hand,
and He loves us too much to fail to care for us!"

Job had that same trust. He had lost his children, his wealth and his health. Even his wife had turned against him. He had only one more thing to lose—his own life. Yet Job declared that even if it were to come down to that final loss, he would continue to trust that God had a purpose in everything that happened to him. In Job’s eyes, the important issue was not what was happening but whose hand was behind it. If God did it, Job knew he could trust it.

Often our trust is based on the "what" rather than the "who." We focus on the event rather than the One who controls that event. Consequently, when trials and tribulations come crashing down upon us, our faith is shaken. We can’t understand why a loving Heavenly Father would allow such grief to enter our lives. Yet if we truly believe that He is loving, we can say with Job that even though He slay us, we will believe He intends it for our good. In His infinite wisdom and goodness, He will take the most difficult circumstances and use them for our good.

When you are facing life’s most severe trials, focus on the character of God. Build your trust on who God is, not on what is taking place. When you know who He is, you never have to worry about what He will allow to happen.

Trust is based on character, not circumstances.

Woodrow Kroll