It is written for our benefit in Psalm 18:
2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Who is most reliable and worthy for us to place our trust? Our Heavenly Father is. Men are subject to pride, lust, pressure, and worldly reasoning which may affect their ability to be trustworthy so ultimately they may be disqualified from being 100% trustworthy. Only someone who walks in total unconditional Love is fully worthy of being trusted.
It is written for our benefit in Proverbs chapter 3:
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
FATHER takes an active role in our lives as we place our trust IN HIM. Our trust must go beyond our circumstances because there are times when we find ourselves in trials and tests which in the end are for our benefit but we cannot fully comprehend their relevance. This is when we must lean not on our understanding but place our trust in FATHER to guide us through the trial. After all, HE has full and complete knowledge of the ramifications of the trial. This includes all aspects of our lives.
We must trust HIS timing and intensity of the test or trial. FATHER allowed Jesus to be tested at the beginning of His ministry. Jesus spent 30 years in preparation for His public ministry so that when He was tested by the devil, He was prepared to respond according to FATHER’S Plan. Jesus passed the test because He had embraced those years of training and preparation. He studied the Word and responded to the devil with the Word. He was anchored in His relationship with FATHER so when the devil tempted Him, He passed the test.
There will be times when our limited understanding will question FATHER but we must acknowledge that HIS ways are higher than our ways. We must trust HIS wisdom in allowing us to go through tests and trials which don’t make sense to us at the time. I have found that FATHER usually provides me with understanding after the trial is over so that I can understand and appreciate the experience. My flesh would have preferred to bypass the test and remain in a passive and safe state but that does not promote growth and maturity.
When we place our trust in FATHER then we can embrace the affliction we find ourselves in and this encourages us to not be moved by the affliction. Our human instinct is to avoid pain and suffering but we must experience it at some level in order to have greater compassion for those who are afflicted. If we have never been afflicted then how can we relate to those who are living in an afflicted state? We know that our afflictions are temporary and that the eternal glory far outweighs anything we are currently suffering.
Each of us has a “customized” path toward Spiritual maturity thus there is no formula to discover as we walk out our destiny. We must simply place our trust in FATHER WHO alone is worthy of such trust and rely on HIS Wisdom and understanding to guide us through our tests and trials. Since we know there will be trials, let us embrace them rather than expend energy to avoid them. This will make it easier to gain understanding of the trial’s purpose and may indeed shorten the time of the trial. We can be assured that Our Loving FATHER will make the most effective use of a trial for our maturing process and HE takes no pleasure in unnecessary pain and suffering. We must place our trust in HIS primary character trait of Love which only wants the best for HIS children.