The best part about trust is that we don’t have to discover it by ourselves. God is there for the journey, guiding and cheering us along. Since the beginning of Creation, God has found a way to deal with the guilt and shame that comes from being human and living on Planet Earth.
The climax of the story of the Garden of Eden is the restoration of intimacy with God. That’s what God cares about the most – restored relationship. Spiritual intimacy. God wants to connect each of us to Himself, to the Eternal. That’s how we find ultimate peace. It’s the only thing that can heal the deepest part of us.
So how do you begin your spiritual journey?
The important thing is to start building on the foundation of whatever faith you already have. This will help get the process started and show you that you may not need to start from scratch. Jesus’ assurance is that even with a mustard seed of faith we can begin a long and wonderful journey.
“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” – Matt. 17:20
Here are three practical steps that will help you develop an attitude of trust in God.
FIRST, COMMUNICATE. Trust grows in an atmosphere of honesty and openness. God has been honest with you. It’s time to be honest with Him as well. You can do that in prayer, which is simply talking to God and listening with your heart for His answers (see Phil. 4:6-7).
SECOND, LISTEN. Be open to what God reveals about Himself in His word, the Bible. You’ve got to get to know someone better in order to trust him or her, right? So, make sure you spend regular time in understanding the Bible more and more. Begin with the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), the accounts of Christ’s life on earth. They will provide you with a close-up picture of God’s character and let you know exactly what He’s like. Take time to drink in each scene, each encounter, each bit of teaching (see Heb. 1:1-3).
THIRD, ASK. Start requesting God’s help in specific areas of your life. And keep asking. As you continue, you’ll begin to learn more and more from the way He answers. His “no” can be as instructive as His “yes” to your prayers. But always ask. That’s how you exercise your faith (see Matt. 7:7-8).
Always remember that right now you’ve got faith at least the size of a mustard seed. So, use it. Put it to work and watch your world change!
