Trust: "Easier Said Than Done"
Sermon Blog 4/27/25 - Rev. Brandon Sailes
In our journey of faith, we often encounter moments that challenge our belief and push us to the limits of our understanding. It's in these moments that we're called to trust - not just as a passive concept, but as an active force that can move mountains and part seas.
Trust is more than just a feeling or a statement; it's a verb, an action word that demands our participation. While faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, trust is the wheels that set that faith in motion. It's one thing to say we have faith that God will save our loved ones, pay off our debts, or fix our marriages. But when we truly trust, we begin to act as if these things are already happening. We pray fervently for our loved ones, give sacrificially to our causes, and actively work on our relationships.
The Bible is replete with examples of individuals who demonstrated extraordinary trust in God, even in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances. Consider Abraham, who was asked to sacrifice his son Isaac - the very child God had promised him after years of waiting. As Abraham raised the knife, prepared to follow through on God's command, his trust was evident in his actions. He believed that even if he were to sacrifice Isaac, God would provide a way. And indeed, at the last moment, God provided a ram as a substitute.
This story challenges us to examine our own level of trust. Are we willing to lay our most precious things at God's altar, trusting that He has a greater plan? Will we trust Him with the sacrifices we've made, believing that He can press them down, shake them together, and make them overflow with blessings?
Then there's Moses, who faced the seemingly insurmountable task of leading the Israelites out of Egypt. With Pharaoh's army behind them and the Red Sea before them, Moses had to trust God's instruction to lift his rod and part the waters. In that moment of crisis, when there seemed to be no way out, Moses' trust in God's power made a way where there was no way.
How often do we find ourselves in similar situations, caught between a rock and a hard place? It's in these moments that we're called to trust God to make a way out of no way. Even when we can't see the path forward, even when the enemy is closing in, we're challenged to lift our eyes to the One who can part seas and move mountains.
The story of David and Goliath serves as another powerful illustration of trust in action. As a young shepherd boy facing a seasoned warrior, David's trust in God gave him the courage to face what seemed like certain defeat. He rejected the armor and weapons of man, choosing instead to go forth in the name of the Lord. His trust wasn't in his own abilities or in human strategies, but in the God who had delivered him from lions and bears in the past.
This account reminds us that our trust in God should be greater than the odds stacked against us. When we face our own Goliaths - whether they be financial struggles, health issues, or seemingly insurmountable challenges - we're called to remember God's faithfulness in our past and trust Him for our present and future.
Perhaps one of the most profound expressions of trust comes from Job, who declared, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." In the midst of unimaginable loss and suffering, Job's trust in God remained unshaken. His statement challenges us to consider: Can we trust God even when everything seems to be falling apart? Can we trust Him when the doctors give a dire diagnosis, or when our world seems to be crumbling around us?
Trust becomes particularly challenging when we've been hurt or disappointed in the past. It's easy to let our experiences with unreliable people color our view of God. But we're reminded that God is not man, that He is faithful even when we are faithless. Our trust in Him should not be based on our circumstances or on human standards, but on His unchanging character and promises.
This trust extends to every area of our lives, including our salvation. Some may feel too sinful to approach God, believing that their past disqualifies them from His love and forgiveness. But we're called to trust in the power of Jesus' name, believing that no sin is too great for His cleansing power. Whether baptized in a church, a home, or even a bathtub, it's not the water that saves us, but the name of Jesus invoked in faith and trust.
As we reflect on these biblical examples and teachings, we're challenged to examine our own lives. Where are we struggling to trust God? What mountains seem too high, what seas too wide to cross? Are we willing to take that step of faith, to act on our trust even when we can't see the outcome?
Trust is indeed easier said than done. It requires vulnerability, courage, and often a willingness to look foolish in the eyes of the world. But as we step out in trust, we open ourselves to experiencing God's power in ways we never imagined possible. We position ourselves to see seas parted, giants felled, and resurrections manifested in our lives and the lives of those around us.
Today, let's challenge ourselves to move beyond mere words of faith to actions of trust. Whether we need healing, salvation, restoration, or simply a fresh touch from God, let's approach Him with confidence, knowing that He is faithful to those who put their trust in Him. For in trusting God, we not only change our circumstances - we are changed ourselves, becoming living testimonies of His power and love in a world desperate for hope.
In our journey of faith, we often encounter moments that challenge our belief and push us to the limits of our understanding. It's in these moments that we're called to trust - not just as a passive concept, but as an active force that can move mountains and part seas.
Trust is more than just a feeling or a statement; it's a verb, an action word that demands our participation. While faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, trust is the wheels that set that faith in motion. It's one thing to say we have faith that God will save our loved ones, pay off our debts, or fix our marriages. But when we truly trust, we begin to act as if these things are already happening. We pray fervently for our loved ones, give sacrificially to our causes, and actively work on our relationships.
The Bible is replete with examples of individuals who demonstrated extraordinary trust in God, even in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances. Consider Abraham, who was asked to sacrifice his son Isaac - the very child God had promised him after years of waiting. As Abraham raised the knife, prepared to follow through on God's command, his trust was evident in his actions. He believed that even if he were to sacrifice Isaac, God would provide a way. And indeed, at the last moment, God provided a ram as a substitute.
This story challenges us to examine our own level of trust. Are we willing to lay our most precious things at God's altar, trusting that He has a greater plan? Will we trust Him with the sacrifices we've made, believing that He can press them down, shake them together, and make them overflow with blessings?
Then there's Moses, who faced the seemingly insurmountable task of leading the Israelites out of Egypt. With Pharaoh's army behind them and the Red Sea before them, Moses had to trust God's instruction to lift his rod and part the waters. In that moment of crisis, when there seemed to be no way out, Moses' trust in God's power made a way where there was no way.
How often do we find ourselves in similar situations, caught between a rock and a hard place? It's in these moments that we're called to trust God to make a way out of no way. Even when we can't see the path forward, even when the enemy is closing in, we're challenged to lift our eyes to the One who can part seas and move mountains.
The story of David and Goliath serves as another powerful illustration of trust in action. As a young shepherd boy facing a seasoned warrior, David's trust in God gave him the courage to face what seemed like certain defeat. He rejected the armor and weapons of man, choosing instead to go forth in the name of the Lord. His trust wasn't in his own abilities or in human strategies, but in the God who had delivered him from lions and bears in the past.
This account reminds us that our trust in God should be greater than the odds stacked against us. When we face our own Goliaths - whether they be financial struggles, health issues, or seemingly insurmountable challenges - we're called to remember God's faithfulness in our past and trust Him for our present and future.
Perhaps one of the most profound expressions of trust comes from Job, who declared, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." In the midst of unimaginable loss and suffering, Job's trust in God remained unshaken. His statement challenges us to consider: Can we trust God even when everything seems to be falling apart? Can we trust Him when the doctors give a dire diagnosis, or when our world seems to be crumbling around us?
Trust becomes particularly challenging when we've been hurt or disappointed in the past. It's easy to let our experiences with unreliable people color our view of God. But we're reminded that God is not man, that He is faithful even when we are faithless. Our trust in Him should not be based on our circumstances or on human standards, but on His unchanging character and promises.
This trust extends to every area of our lives, including our salvation. Some may feel too sinful to approach God, believing that their past disqualifies them from His love and forgiveness. But we're called to trust in the power of Jesus' name, believing that no sin is too great for His cleansing power. Whether baptized in a church, a home, or even a bathtub, it's not the water that saves us, but the name of Jesus invoked in faith and trust.
As we reflect on these biblical examples and teachings, we're challenged to examine our own lives. Where are we struggling to trust God? What mountains seem too high, what seas too wide to cross? Are we willing to take that step of faith, to act on our trust even when we can't see the outcome?
Trust is indeed easier said than done. It requires vulnerability, courage, and often a willingness to look foolish in the eyes of the world. But as we step out in trust, we open ourselves to experiencing God's power in ways we never imagined possible. We position ourselves to see seas parted, giants felled, and resurrections manifested in our lives and the lives of those around us.
Today, let's challenge ourselves to move beyond mere words of faith to actions of trust. Whether we need healing, salvation, restoration, or simply a fresh touch from God, let's approach Him with confidence, knowing that He is faithful to those who put their trust in Him. For in trusting God, we not only change our circumstances - we are changed ourselves, becoming living testimonies of His power and love in a world desperate for hope.
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