Complete Trust: Surrendering to God's Perfect Plan
Summary
Trusting in the Lord is a profound journey that requires us to place our entire being in His hands. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to trust in the Lord with all our heart and not to lean on our own understanding. This trust is not partial but complete, demanding that we acknowledge Him in all our ways so that He can direct our paths. In a world where trust is often broken, whether in relationships, politics, or even daily interactions, God remains the one constant who is always faithful and true.
We live in a society where skepticism is rampant. We question the news, doubt promises, and even second-guess the intentions of those around us. Yet, God calls us to a different standard—a standard of unwavering trust in Him. This trust is not blind but is based on His proven faithfulness throughout history. From David defeating Goliath to Noah building the ark, God has shown that He is trustworthy and His plans are perfect.
Trusting God means putting all our weight on Him, just as we trust a bed to hold us as we sleep. It means believing that He will do what He says He will do, without needing a backup plan or crutch. Trust is different from faith; while faith involves action, trust is a deep-seated belief in God's character and promises.
Moreover, trusting God involves submitting to His will. This submission is not passive but active, requiring us to align our lives with His purpose. Romans 8:28 assures us that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. Our lives have meaning and purpose, and it is our responsibility to seek and fulfill that purpose.
Finally, trusting God is about letting go of our own plans and embracing His. It is about acknowledging that His ways are higher than ours and that His plans are for our ultimate good. As we submit to His will, we find peace and direction, knowing that He is the captain of our lives, guiding us safely to our destination.
Key Takeaways:
- Trust in God requires complete surrender, not partial belief. It means placing all our concerns and cares at His feet, acknowledging that His way is better than ours. This trust is rooted in His unchanging nature and faithfulness. [08:11]
- In a world where trust is often broken, God remains the one constant who is always faithful. His past actions, like David defeating Goliath and Noah building the ark, remind us of His reliability and power. [16:09]
- Trusting God involves putting all our weight on Him, just as we trust a bed to hold us as we sleep. It is a deep-seated belief in His character and promises, distinct from faith, which involves action. [11:05]
- Submission to God's will is essential for true trust. Romans 8:28 assures us that all things work together for good for those who love God. Our lives have purpose, and it is our responsibility to seek and fulfill that purpose. [21:29]
- Letting go of our own plans and embracing God's is crucial. His ways are higher than ours, and His plans are for our ultimate good. As we submit to His will, we find peace and direction, knowing He is guiding us safely. [26:31]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[03:17] - Introduction to Trust
[08:11] - Why Trust the Lord?
[09:26] - Trusting in God's Care
[11:05] - Faith vs. Trust
[12:11] - God's Confidentiality
[13:16] - The Shepherd's Protection
[14:12] - David's Trust in God
[15:12] - David and Goliath
[16:09] - God's Past Faithfulness
[20:10] - Solomon's Wisdom
[21:29] - Trusting God's Purpose
[22:29] - Life's Purpose and Trust
[24:40] - Submitting to God's Will
[26:31] - Acknowledging God in All Ways
[28:18] - Levels of Trust
[31:06] - Trusting the Captain
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Trusting in the Lord
Bible Reading:
- Proverbs 3:5-6
- Romans 8:28
Observation Questions:
1. According to Proverbs 3:5-6, what are we instructed to do with all our heart, and what should we avoid relying on? [08:11]
2. How does the sermon describe the difference between faith and trust? [11:05]
3. What examples from the Bible were given in the sermon to illustrate God's trustworthiness? [16:09]
Interpretation Questions:
1. Why is it significant that trusting in God requires complete surrender rather than partial belief? [08:11]
2. How does the sermon suggest that trusting God is different from trusting people or things in our daily lives? [09:26]
3. What does it mean to submit to God's will, and how is this related to trusting Him? [26:31]
Application Questions:
1. In what areas of your life do you find it difficult to trust God completely? How can you work towards surrendering these areas to Him? [08:11]
2. Reflect on a time when you relied on your own understanding instead of acknowledging God. What was the outcome, and how might it have been different if you had trusted Him? [08:11]
3. The sermon mentions that trusting God involves letting go of our own plans. What is one plan or goal you have that you need to release to God, trusting that His way is better? [26:31]
4. How can you actively seek to understand and fulfill God's purpose for your life, as mentioned in Romans 8:28? [21:29]
5. Consider a situation where you have been hesitant to submit to God's will. What steps can you take to align your actions with His purpose? [26:31]
6. The sermon compares trusting God to trusting a bed to hold us as we sleep. What practical steps can you take to remind yourself of God's reliability in your daily life? [09:26]
7. How can you encourage others in your community to trust in God's faithfulness, especially in a world where trust is often broken? [16:09]
Devotional
Day 1: Complete Surrender to God's Will
Trusting in God requires a complete surrender of our own plans and desires. It is not about holding back or giving God only a portion of our trust, but about placing all our concerns and cares at His feet. This kind of trust is rooted in the understanding that God's ways are higher than ours and that His plans are for our ultimate good. In a world where trust is often broken, God remains the one constant who is always faithful and true. By acknowledging His unchanging nature and faithfulness, we can find peace and direction, knowing that He is guiding us safely. [08:11]
Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV): "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are struggling to surrender to God? How can you begin to trust Him more fully in this area today?
Day 2: God's Unchanging Faithfulness
In a world filled with skepticism and broken promises, God stands as the one constant who is always faithful. His past actions, such as David defeating Goliath and Noah building the ark, remind us of His reliability and power. Trusting in God means recognizing His proven faithfulness throughout history and believing that He will continue to be faithful in our lives. This trust is not blind but is based on the evidence of His character and promises. By reflecting on God's past faithfulness, we can strengthen our trust in Him for the future. [16:09]
Psalm 89:8 (ESV): "O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you?"
Reflection: Think of a time when God has been faithful in your life. How can remembering this instance help you trust Him more in your current circumstances?
Day 3: Trust as a Deep-Seated Belief
Trusting God involves putting all our weight on Him, just as we trust a bed to hold us as we sleep. It is a deep-seated belief in His character and promises, distinct from faith, which involves action. Trust is about resting in the assurance that God will do what He says He will do, without needing a backup plan or crutch. This kind of trust requires us to let go of our own understanding and rely fully on God's wisdom and guidance. By doing so, we can experience the peace and security that comes from knowing that God is in control. [11:05]
Proverbs 16:3 (ESV): "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find it difficult to trust God completely? What steps can you take to deepen your trust in Him today?
Day 4: Submission to God's Purpose
Submission to God's will is essential for true trust. Romans 8:28 assures us that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. Our lives have meaning and purpose, and it is our responsibility to seek and fulfill that purpose. Trusting God means aligning our lives with His purpose and submitting to His will, even when it is difficult or uncomfortable. By doing so, we can find fulfillment and joy in knowing that we are living according to God's plan for our lives. [21:29]
Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV): "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Reflection: How can you actively submit to God's purpose for your life today? What changes might you need to make to align your life more closely with His will?
Day 5: Embracing God's Higher Ways
Letting go of our own plans and embracing God's is crucial for trusting Him fully. His ways are higher than ours, and His plans are for our ultimate good. As we submit to His will, we find peace and direction, knowing that He is the captain of our lives, guiding us safely to our destination. Trusting God means acknowledging that His way is better than ours and being willing to follow His lead, even when it doesn't make sense to us. By doing so, we can experience the fullness of life that comes from living in accordance with God's perfect plan. [26:31]
Psalm 37:5 (ESV): "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act."
Reflection: What is one plan or desire you need to let go of to embrace God's higher ways? How can you begin to trust His guidance more fully in this area today?
Quotes
"Trust in the Lord with some of thine heart. Is that what your Bible says? No. It says all thine heart. And lean not to thine own understanding. In all of thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." [00:02:18]
"Trusting in the Lord means that we should be focused on God in placing all of our concerns, and cares at his feet. It means that we should believe his way is better than our way. When we wake up every day, we shouldn't say, this is my agenda for the day, but we should say, God, what is your agenda for my day?" [00:04:26]
"Today, when we have these things, we have learned that there is a lack of trust in our world. Used to, if I made a deal with somebody, or you made a deal with somebody, you could shake their hand, and they say, we're going to deal on this. But now, if you make a deal with somebody, you better have a stack of papers this thick and make sure a lawyer goes over it, that there ain't any loopholes in it, right? Why? Because we've lost our trust in mankind." [00:05:27]
"This is the same God that allowed a 15-year-old boy by the name of David to kill Goliath. This is the same God that when Moses and the children of Israel were leaving Egypt, that God opened the Red Sea. They walked across on dry land and when the enemy came in, God closed the sea and drowned them." [00:08:21]
"When I think about trusting in God's care, the word trust here in Proverbs in the Hebrew means to put all of your weight on the Lord. Trust the Lord with all thine heart. The Bible tells us to love the Lord with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy might. If I cannot love the Lord with all my soul and with all my heart and with all my might, how am I supposed to trust him?" [00:09:14]
"When I trust you, I'm going to trust you with all of my heart or with none of my heart. You either love the Lord 100% or you don't love Him at all. You today either trust God or you don't trust Him. There's a difference between faith and trust. Faith is putting works behind what God has told you. Trust is believing. Trust is believing God doing exactly what He says He will do." [00:10:51]
"When troubles begin to arise our way in our life, if you're following the Lord and he's your shepherd, who does it have to go through first? That shepherd is a protector. That shepherd is a guide. And this... Sheep put 100% trust in that shepherd that he cares for them." [00:14:26]
"David said, in order for Goliath to kill me, he's going to have to go through my shepherd. Which is God. When they laughed at David and said, David, you think you can kill Goliath? David said, well, a few weeks ago I was out with my sheep and a lion came up and tried to get one of my sheep and I killed him." [00:15:35]
"Noah began to build an ark. People come by said Noah what are you doing I'm building an ark why are you building an ark Noah because it's going to rain and God's going to destroy this earth by water every day they walk by and every day that they walk by and they see more and more progress on the ark they were seeing the protecting hand of God being built but they were also seeing a sign of the judgment of God to come and they failed to believe." [00:18:01]
"Romans 8, 28, for we know that all things work together for the good of them that love the Lord, right? According to the purpose of God. When we think about that, we need to realize that God has a purpose in every one of our lives. When I can trust God's care, then I can trust God's purpose." [00:21:39]
"Not only do we need to trust in God's care, not only do we need to trust in God's purpose, this is the hard part, we need to submit to God's will. You know what? I always hear that verse of Scripture, Resist the devil and he will flee from you. That's not what your Bible says. It does say that in a portion. But do you know what it says in the first part of that verse? Anybody know? Submit yourselves unto God, and then what?" [00:25:44]
"God, if it's I have to go share the gospel with one of my friends or one of my family. God, if it's building an ark. God, if it's killing a Goliath in my life. God, whatever you would have me to do. It may seem weird to this world. It may seem weird to my family. It may seem weird to my friends." [00:30:10]
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