“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.”
Jeremiah 17:7
For the thousands of years the world has been in existence, we have read many stories of those who made the decision to trust in the Lord. It seems obvious that those who trust in the Lord are blessed, but even so, the gaze of many has searched for blessings elsewhere. Furthermore, the carnal man continues to search high and low for what only God can give.
From the very first human beings who walked in the beautiful garden God created, temptation has taunted mankind to follow things that seemed logical, rather than what God would bless through obedience to Him. Eve opened her ears and allowed the serpent to persuade her by assuring her she would not die from eating the fruit God had forbidden. She allowed her trust to turn from the Lord to the deceiver, which resulted in many difficulties for the first family and the entire race of humanity to follow.
Another instance with a much different ending to its story was the man, Noah, who built an ark in his obedience to God, even while others mocked him. The many years Noah trusted and obeyed God saved him and his family when the destructive flood that wiped out almost all of humanity was sent by God.
Modern examples of trusting God may look quite different from those we read in the Bible, but the heart of man has been making the same choices between trusting in God or trusting in something else for thousands of years.
Through difficult trials and strong times of temptation, the choices are to follow our own solutions when they oppose God’s ways, or decide to trust our Lord even if we don’t understand. Obedience brings forth blessings.
Humanity has found a wide variety of other things that seem promising and decide to put their trust in those potential places of blessings. However, trust in God is the only combination that is guaranteed to return blessings. Not financially, or through recognition, or through great health, but through peace, joy, love, and other fulfillments in life that money can’t buy.
Some trust in their job, but jobs end.
Some trust in riches, but riches can evaporate.
Some trust in their best friend, but friends will let you down.
Some trust in their own strengths but will find that failure happens to all.
In current events throughout the world, there are many examples of the different ways people are trying to find solutions to the growing problems in different societies. Instead of looking for answers from the one who created us, leaders are creating and trusting in new studies, new methods, new ideas, and new implementations to fix the issues that are so prevalent. Sadly, their trust is not in the Lord, but instead seek any other method to bring about peace and blessings.
Friends, new methods are not necessary to discover how to be blessed. Obedience to our Lord is all we need.
