Are you wondering who to trust? Only God can be trusted

 

Only God can be trusted

As you grow in your walk as a believer you'll realize that the only One you can truly depend on is God. The closer that you draw to God, the more you'll be able to detach yourself from the things of this world.

It is a painful thing when those you thought you could depend on let you down. Yet they will do it at some point in your life. Many who have walked with the Lord have experienced this far too often. It could be someone as close as your spouse, or your children, a sibling, parent or friend who rejects you, or doesn’t want to see you or has little sympathy when you’re going through a trial.

However you are not alone in this. Many believers in the Bible experienced the same. See the examples below and take heart because you are not alone.

Our Lord’s Experience

Luke 22:39-46 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, And said unto them, Why sleep ye? Rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. 

When Jesus was in agony over His coming death on the cross, He took some of His disciples with Him to pray. However they could not keep awake and pray with Him. Overcome with sorrow they fell asleep. Other accounts of this are found in Mark 14:32-42 and Matthew 26:36-46.

Joseph’s experience

Joseph was so cocooned in his father's love that he did not notice his brother's animosity towards him.

Genesis 37:3-11 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. 

And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying. 

Joseph had grown up experiencing his father’s unconditional love. He was so secure in this love that he did not even notice that his brothers were envious of him and hated him. Thus he had no qualms about going to check on them and report back to his father.

It was therefore a rude shock for him when his brothers grabbed him, tore off his precious coat and callously sold him to merchants. They had actually planned to kill him until a more convenient way of ridding themselves of him presented itself.

Genesis 37:18-20 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams. 

The distress and anguish that Joseph suffered as he begged his brothers not to do this is seen in the following verse. His brothers remembered how distressed Joseph was when they sold him off.

Gen 42:21  And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. 

The hope for every believer who reads this is the fact that the Lord was with Joseph. God never abandoned him and all through Joseph’s experiences, we keep being reminded that the Lord was with Joseph.

The section below describes how because of the Lord’s hand being on Joseph, everything he did prospered. His master seeing this decided to put Joseph in charge of everything. The result was that Potiphar’s house was blessed tremendously.

Gen 39:2-5 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. 

Yet despite all this Joseph painfully learnt that he could not count on anyone to help him. When a false claim was made against him, he found himself without anyone to defend him. No one vouched for his character. It didn't matter how well he had served his master - he was cast into prison.

Again here we are reminded that the Lord was with Joseph. In prison because of the Lord’s hand on him, Joseph excelled in his duties. He was put in charge of the prisoner’s by the keeper of the prison.

In this role Joseph met two of Pharaoh’s high ranking officials who had been imprisoned. Having interacted with them, he expressed concern when he found them in low spirits one day. When he inquired further, the officials shared their dreams with him and Joseph gave them their interpretation as revealed by the Lord.

Joseph realized that the interpretation of the cup bearer’s dream meant that he would be released from prison. He therefore appealed to him to bring up his case before Pharaoh. However as soon as the cupbearer was released, he forgot all about Joseph.

 

Again he learnt that only God was there for Joseph and no one was to be trusted. One would have thought that the gratitude that the cup bearer felt after receiving a favorable interpretation would have resulted in speaking favorably about Joseph. Are you seeing a pattern here?

You may be doing great things for others, showing up for them, helping out, being a friend in deed, but let me assure you that it is not a guarantee that they’ll be there for you when you need them. The aim of this study is to teach you that only God can be trusted. Only He will be there for you in all and through all circumstances.

Joseph was finally elevated by God when He gave Pharaoh a dream that prompted the cupbearer to remember Joseph. If God had not intervened, Joseph would have spent the rest of his days in jail.

Moses Experience

When Moses was used by God to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, he faced harsh criticism and rebellion from them time and again. Moses learnt to rely only on God who could be trusted.

Exodus 17:1-4  And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD? And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. 

David’s Experience

David learnt the same lesson- when Ziklag was attacked and the women and children carried away, David's men wanted to stone him. Yet he too had lost his family.

1Sa 30:3-6  So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. 

Hannah’s Experience

Hannah demonstrated this dependence on God when she took her pain and bitterness to the Lord.  Her husband couldn’t understand why he wasn’t enough. Sometimes even though people offer their help, it just cannot make up for God. Only God can understand us fully and touch pain that others don’t even know is there.

1Sa 1:8-10  Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons? So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. 

It is a wise thing for a believer to learn early in their walk with the Lord, that only God can be trusted. Make it a habit to tell the Lord of your pains, hurts, experiences, disappointments, hopes and dreams before sharing them with others. Also have that mind-set that God is the only one who will never let you down.  

Remember that salvation comes by believing in our Lord Jesus Christ and his death on the cross for your sins. Read John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9. Also know that once you have believed you have full assurance of eternal life in Christ Jesus. God bless you.