This week we are reflecting on the first section of the 3rd chapter of Proverbs. The reading can be found by following the link below:
http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=406696933
Trust is difficult for us. Trust in one another, trust in ourselves is hard won and easily lost. So it stands to reason that trust in God can be just as difficult.
Let’s start with trust in others. It takes us a long time, if ever, to trust another human being with who we are, because it makes us vulnerable. Being vulnerable with another person means giving them a piece of our hearts knowing – because we trust them – that they will not hurt us. In the beginning of our lives, trust is easy. As children we trust or parents, trust our friends, trust or teachers, and even trust those we do not know to some degree because we have not experienced a break in that trust. It is only over time and through unfortunate lessons that we come to know that giving away trust -those pieces of our heart – can lead to pain. Because of these hard lessons, our trust gains conditions and requirements before we give it away, and so gaining the trust of another becomes part of building a strong relationship. Harder still is regaining lost trust. Like learning that the element in the stove is hot by touching it, we are not eager to expertise a break in trust with the same person again. It’s not impossible, but building up broken trust takes time, effort and intention.
Trust in ourselves is something different. It’s not just trusting your gut or having confidence, but it is also those things. The choices that we make and the consequences of those choices both build and break the trust that we have in ourselves. Like the analogy of the stove element, we become less and less likely to act on something if we feel that the risk of harm to ourselves is too high. This create in us low self-esteem, and a low sense of self worth, both of which are difficult for us to build back up on our own. The answer of course is to lean on those closest to us in life, which can be one of the hardest things to do when we don’t feel worth the trouble. Building or rebuilding trust in self takes courage because it means living into our gifts and our call; it means taking risks, and it means asking for help.
The asking for help and guidance part is tricky too, and while seeking it from others that we can see or can call up on the phone, it can be even harder looking within and tapping into that divine connection. In our prayers we remind ourselves that God is with us through our lives, but while some find strength in God through the hard times, others feel a disconnect. Trust in God to be our strength, our support, our guide, and our light requires an added piece that we might not need as much in trusting others or even ourselves. We need faith: faith that even in the midst of our struggles, God is with us, that in those lowest of times, God is not far off, but holding us close. When we intentionally reach for that divine had, we can almost feel a physical presence. For some it is a warmth about us, and for others it is a still small whisper heard over the clamour. This part of Proverbs 3 reminds us that the way before us, rocky though it might seem, is not a way that we walk alone. It also gives us permission to get out of our heads, our own inhibitions, those things that would stop us from following a path that we feel called to by inviting us to allow for God’s wisdom and will to be our guide.
As we open ourselves to trust one another, ourselves, and God more readily, let us pray:
Shepherding God, as our guide you go before us to prepare the way. You call to us from beyond what we know, and if we are to follow, we must trust. Open our hearts to hear your voice and know your love. Open our minds, freeing us from our fears and concerns, giving us a portion of your courage as we walk. All this we pray in the strong name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN