Trusting God: Overcoming Doubt and Surrendering Control
Summary
In today's gathering, we explored the profound question: Can God be trusted? This inquiry is central to our new series, "In God We Trust," which delves into the essence of faith and reliance on God over worldly entities. The phrase "In God We Trust" has historical roots, symbolizing the belief that a nation's prosperity is in God's hands. However, in our current society, trust is in decline. People are skeptical of each other, and this skepticism extends to our relationship with God. We often find ourselves trusting in material possessions, careers, or relationships more than we trust in God, creating idols that take precedence over our faith.
We are naturally wired to trust, yet experiences of betrayal can lead us to doubt even God. This doubt can cause spiritual disability, as trust in God is foundational to our spiritual well-being. The challenge is to move beyond partial surrender and fully trust God with every aspect of our lives. This involves letting go of control, which many of us struggle with, as we prefer to manage our own lives. However, true faith requires us to trust God without needing to see the outcome first, much like the African Impala that won't jump unless it sees where it will land.
To develop wholehearted trust, we must acknowledge God in all our ways, submitting to His will and understanding His character. This involves an experiential knowledge of God, knowing His goodness, love, and faithfulness. Trusting God means believing in His plans for us, even when they don't align with our own desires or understanding. It requires us to die to ourselves, sacrificing our own desires and control to follow Him fully.
Key Takeaways:
1. Trust in God Over Man: In a world where trust is scarce, it's crucial to place our trust in God rather than in human institutions or relationships. Trusting God provides a stable foundation that transcends the uncertainties of life. [02:09]
2. The Nature of Trust: We are inherently designed to trust, yet life's betrayals can lead us to doubt even God. Overcoming this requires recognizing that God is the ultimate trustworthy being, deserving of our complete faith. [06:59]
3. Letting Go of Control: Many of us struggle with control, wanting to manage our own lives. True faith involves surrendering control to God, trusting Him with the outcomes we cannot foresee. [12:40]
4. Experiential Knowledge of God: Trusting God is not just intellectual but experiential. It involves knowing His character and having a relationship with Him, which builds our faith and reliance on His plans. [30:22]
5. Sacrificial Trust: Trusting God requires us to die to ourselves, letting go of our desires and control. This sacrificial trust leads to experiencing God's goodness, love, and faithfulness in our lives. [41:15]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:03] - Introduction to "In God We Trust"
- [02:09] - Trust in God Over Man
- [04:39] - Decline of Trust in Society
- [05:23] - Responsibility to Vote
- [06:59] - Nature of Trust and Betrayal
- [08:26] - Trust Issues and Natural Trust
- [10:12] - Idolatry and Misplaced Trust
- [11:04] - Warning Against Idolatry
- [12:40] - Control and Partial Surrender
- [14:06] - Control in Everyday Life
- [19:01] - The Tightrope Walker Analogy
- [23:15] - Faith Struggles and Unbelief
- [25:03] - Letting Go of Security
- [28:49] - Personal Testimony of Trust
- [30:22] - Experiential Knowledge of God
- [32:41] - Trusting God Without Guarantees
- [34:35] - The Impala Analogy
- [41:15] - Sacrificial Trust and Dying to Self
- [42:19] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: "In God We Trust"
Bible Reading:
- Psalm 118:8: "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man."
- Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
- Matthew 16:24-26: "Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?'"
Observation Questions:
1. According to Psalm 118:8, why is it better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man? How does this relate to the sermon’s theme of trust? [02:09]
2. What does Proverbs 3:5-6 suggest about the relationship between trust and understanding? How does this passage encourage us to submit to God? [28:49]
3. In Matthew 16:24-26, what does Jesus say is required to be his disciple? How does this relate to the concept of sacrificial trust discussed in the sermon? [41:15]
4. How does the analogy of the African Impala illustrate the challenge of trusting God without seeing the outcome? [34:35]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the decline of trust in society, as mentioned in the sermon, affect our ability to trust God? What are some ways this skepticism can be overcome? [04:39]
2. The sermon discusses the idea of partial surrender to God. What are some reasons people might struggle with fully trusting God, and how can they move towards complete trust? [12:40]
3. How does the concept of "experiential knowledge" of God, as explained in the sermon, deepen our trust in Him? What role does personal experience play in building faith? [30:22]
4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that trusting God requires us to "die to ourselves"? How does this align with the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 16:24-26? [41:15]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you placed more trust in material possessions or relationships than in God. What steps can you take to shift your trust back to God? [10:12]
2. Identify an area of your life where you struggle to let go of control. What practical steps can you take this week to surrender that area to God? [12:40]
3. Consider the analogy of the African Impala. What is one situation in your life where you need to take a leap of faith without knowing the outcome? How can you trust God in this situation? [34:35]
4. How can you develop a deeper experiential knowledge of God this week? What specific actions can you take to know His character more intimately? [30:22]
5. Think about a personal "idol" that might be taking precedence over your faith in God. How can you begin to dismantle this idol and place God at the center of your life? [11:04]
6. Reflect on the concept of sacrificial trust. What is one desire or habit you need to "die to" in order to follow God more fully? How can you begin this process? [41:15]
7. How can you cultivate an attitude of gratitude in your daily life, as suggested by Psalm 100? What are some specific things you can thank God for today? [41:15]
Devotional
Day 1: Trusting God as Our Ultimate Foundation
In a world where trust is increasingly scarce, it is essential to place our trust in God rather than in human institutions or relationships. Trusting God provides a stable foundation that transcends the uncertainties of life. When we rely on worldly entities, we often find ourselves disappointed and disillusioned. However, God is unchanging and His promises are steadfast. By placing our trust in Him, we align ourselves with a source of strength and stability that is not subject to the fluctuations of human affairs. This trust in God over man is not just a spiritual exercise but a practical approach to navigating life's challenges. [02:09]
"Thus says the Lord: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.'" (Jeremiah 17:5-6, ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you relying more on human solutions than on God's guidance? How can you begin to shift your trust towards God today?
Day 2: Overcoming Doubt Through Trust
We are inherently designed to trust, yet life's betrayals can lead us to doubt even God. Overcoming this requires recognizing that God is the ultimate trustworthy being, deserving of our complete faith. When we experience betrayal, it can be challenging to open our hearts to trust again. However, God invites us to see beyond our past hurts and to place our faith in His unchanging nature. Trusting God means believing in His goodness and faithfulness, even when circumstances suggest otherwise. It is a journey of healing and restoration, where we learn to let go of our doubts and embrace the security found in God's promises. [06:59]
"Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock." (Isaiah 26:4, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a past experience where you felt betrayed. How can you invite God into that memory to begin healing and restoring your trust in Him?
Day 3: Surrendering Control to God
Many of us struggle with control, wanting to manage our own lives. True faith involves surrendering control to God, trusting Him with the outcomes we cannot foresee. This surrender is not a sign of weakness but a demonstration of faith in God's sovereignty. It requires us to let go of our need to predict and manage every aspect of our lives and to trust that God is working all things for our good. By relinquishing control, we open ourselves to the peace and freedom that come from knowing that God is in charge. This act of surrender is a daily decision to trust God with our lives, even when we cannot see the path ahead. [12:40]
"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act." (Psalm 37:5, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to God? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Day 4: Experiencing God Through Relationship
Trusting God is not just intellectual but experiential. It involves knowing His character and having a relationship with Him, which builds our faith and reliance on His plans. This experiential knowledge of God comes from spending time in His presence, reading His Word, and engaging in prayer. As we grow in our relationship with God, we begin to understand His heart and His desires for us. This understanding deepens our trust, as we see firsthand His goodness and faithfulness in our lives. By cultivating a personal relationship with God, we move beyond mere belief to a living, dynamic faith that sustains us through life's challenges. [30:22]
"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!" (Psalm 34:8, ESV)
Reflection: How can you intentionally deepen your relationship with God this week? What specific steps can you take to experience His presence more fully in your daily life?
Day 5: Embracing Sacrificial Trust
Trusting God requires us to die to ourselves, letting go of our desires and control. This sacrificial trust leads to experiencing God's goodness, love, and faithfulness in our lives. It is a call to lay down our own plans and ambitions in favor of God's perfect will. This act of dying to self is not easy, but it is the path to true freedom and fulfillment. As we surrender our desires, we make room for God's plans to unfold in our lives, leading us to a deeper understanding of His love and purpose. Sacrificial trust is a daily commitment to follow God wholeheartedly, even when it requires letting go of what we hold dear. [41:15]
"And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" (Luke 9:23, ESV)
Reflection: What is one desire or ambition you need to surrender to God? How can you practice sacrificial trust in your daily walk with Him?
Quotes
"Maybe you've experienced some people that have broken their promise. Maybe it's been a boss or a parent or your best friend. And you know from personal experience what it is when someone that you trust breaks that trust. It hurts. And perhaps that hurt is more than a lot of us can really handle. And we get to a point that it begins to bleed over into we don't even trust God because people have hurt us so much." [00:07:04] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"We are wired to trust someone greater than ourselves. We are wired to trust someone that's above us. And this is why I believe God put that in us so that we could trust him. But if you don't learn to trust God, you will learn to trust something else. And you will put your trust in something else rather than God." [00:09:39] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"How many of you felt like you wanted to lift that person's hand? You're a control freak. See, there's a lot of people that I believe God, but I don't want to surrender everything to him because I want to be in control of some, things in life." [00:12:52] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"How many of you like to be in control of things? Raise your hand. All right. Some of us, the other ones, you're lying. How many of you felt like you wanted to lift that person's hand? You're a control freak." [00:12:35] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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