Today’s Psalm opens with a bold proclamation. It’s not a question or a topic to be discussed but a statement parsed out into practical pieces. David tells us trusting in God eliminates shame, and the burdens of sin to elevate love, guidance, protection and grace. Fast forward into the story and we know that God does rescue Israel from their captivity. God fulfills promises he makes to his people.

Dictionaries relate trust to reliability. If someone or something displays a consistent and reliable outcome, you trust that thing or person. We trust people and objects all the time without even thinking about it. Here, we learn that we can trust God because he has been faithful in keeping his promises to Israel.

As we move from confessing our sins to making prayer a part of our efforts to reconnect with the Father, trust plays a huge role. When we engage in trusting relationships, we experience the freedom of being ourselves. We offer everything we have so that authentic bonds develop. In the Psalm, we learn that when we put our trust in God, he becomes the source of our strength.

For this second day of prayer, our objective is to take a step towards trusting the bond with our heavenly Father. It’s recognizing that we get to bring our imperfect selves to the relationships and in the midst of confessing our sins and seeking reconnection, he provides the strength we need to keep pursuing him no matter the circumstance. We get to trust that God’s redemptive power is true and find rest in his promise to protect and love us.

Application

Trust doesn’t happen overnight. It isn’t a one-and-done kind of transaction and it’s not easily gained. Today, practice asking God to show you ways He can be trusted. Think of your own circumstances where trusting the Father will provide protection and offer grace. Pray a prayer similar to this one:

“Father, trust is hard. Past relationships may give me a false image of trust but I want to trust you. I’ve confessed my sins and you know my circumstances. Show me the will you have for my life. Show me the ways your love facilitates grace in my life. Grow in me the strength to trust You. Guide me. Comfort me. Lead me. Amen.”

Go Deeper Resources

Check out the Grown Up Prayers sermon series from Andy Stanley.