“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”  Psalm 20:7

Lately, I have been reflecting much upon the idea of what I trust in.  With so many people out of work, I am finding some in my classes re-thinking why they do what they do. 

I recently had a student tell me that she had once had aspirations to be a model, and she intermingled with all the right crowd.  She became rather well known, but always had this feeling that if she didn’t say or do the right thing that she would be expelled.  She had a constant fear of failure.  She felt as if there were expectations placed upon her that she must meet or else rejection would occur.

It is so easy to put our trust in security, in a stable job, in a ministry that seems healthy, etc.  But what happens when this rug gets pulled out from under us?  What happens when we lose a job, or are asked to resign from a ministry and we feel like we don’t measure up?  

What happens to our self-esteem?  Most of the time, it shatters.  We feel worthless and hurt and betrayed.  Our value, which has been so wrapped up in what we do goes down the drain with our position.

In these times, we can reflect, re-evaluate, and seek a trust which we have lacked and are now forced to hang on to.  We can only trust in the name of the LORD.  We can no longer trust in our figurative horses or chariots.  We cannot trust in what has brought us stability, value and meaning.  But wasn’t this a false trust in the beginning?  Wasn’t this an egotistical measuring of ourselves and our abilities rather than a trust in our Lord? 

I pray for those out of work.  I have been there, and am still struggling to regain the traction that I once had.  However, I also wrestle against my own flesh to not trust in my abilities, but rather the one who has gifted and is the giver of all good gifts. 

Let him be the one whom we put our trust.  Amen. 

 

Phil