In Whom Can I Trust?

“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.
- Friedrich Nietzsche

Who can I trust? In this world of ours, trust is increasingly becoming more difficult to recognize and embrace. It seems that everywhere we look we are confronted with examples of lies, deceit, and dishonesty.

What's even more frightening is that some of the biggest violators of trust are those in whom we have placed our own. Sadly, this problem with is not exclusive to any specific population, region, or country.

The issue of mistrust has been addressed many times in news and social media outlets. Different remedies or fixes have been suggested, yet it appears to get worse instead of better.

People have always struggled with the lack of trust. The Bible has many instances where some of the most pious individuals grappled with it. In the end, with God's help, they emerged victorious and so can we.

Let's examine one such individual. Esther was a Jewish woman who was taken as the wife of the king of the Persian Empire. An evil minister in the court plotted against all of the Jews in the kingdom (Book of Esther).

Esther's uncle found out about the plot and urged Esther to approach the king about it. She was hesitant about doing this because in order to see the king she first needed to submit a request.

Anyone that dared to come to the king without an invitation put their life at risk, this included Esther. Her uncle convinced her that she had been placed into her position "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14).

Only she could notify the king of the minister's plot, even it meant her own death. She placed her trust in God for guidance in revealing the plan to kill her people. 

By her faith, Esther made known her background as a Jew and foiled the wicked minister's plot to kill her people. The common lesson in the life of Esther and others was that they learned to trust God in the end.

While there is a definite problem with "trust" in the world, the one thing we can always count on is that God will never misuse or abuse our trust. Most have learned that trusting in others may not always be in our best interest.

But, there is never any uncertainty or risk when we put our full trust in God. "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe" (Proverbs 29:25). 

Scripture: Psalm 118:8; Isaiah 12:2; Proverbs 3:5; Psalm 118:5; Hebrews 11:6

Prayer: Dear Lord, You've promised to guide all Your children in all truth; teach me Your truth of following You and trusting in Your word. Amen.

Love and blessings,

Andrea