Trust in the LORD and do good

Psalm 37:3-12 (New Living Translation)

 3 Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. 4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart's desires. 5 Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you. 6 He will make your innocence as clear as the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. 7 Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. 8 Stop your anger! Turn from your rage! Do not envy others -- it only leads to harm. 9 For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the LORD will possess the land. 10 In a little while, the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone. 11 Those who are gentle and lowly will possess the land; they will live in prosperous security. 12 The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance.

Trusting in the lord means:

- Following God’s lead without knowing where he’s sending you.

- Waiting for God’s timing without knowing when it will come.

- Expecting a miracle without knowing how God will provide.

- Trusting God’s purpose without understanding the circumstances.

You know you’re trust is in God when you rely on God to work things out instead of trying to manipulate others, force your agenda, and control the situation. You let go and let God work. You don’t have to always be "in charge." Instead of trying harder, you trust more.

You also know you’re trusting in the Lord when you don’t react to criticism and rush to defend yourself. You are not self-serving, you don’t edge others out, and you don’t demand your rights.

The supreme example of trust is Jesus. The night before his crucifixion, Jesus surrendered himself to God’s plan. He prayed, "Father, everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of 

suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine.”

Jesus didn't pray, "God, if you’re able to take away this pain, please do so." He began by affirming that God can do anything! He prayed, "God, if it is in your best interest to remove this suffering, please do so. But if it fulfills your purpose, that’s what I want, too."

Genuine trust says, “Father, if this problem, pain, sickness, or circumstance is needed to fulfill your purpose and glory in my life or in another’s life, please don’t take it away!"

This level of maturity doesn't come easily. In Jesus’ case, he agonized so much over God’s plan that he sweated drops of blood. Trusting in the lord can be hard . In our case, it requires intense warfare against our self-centered nature.