In God We Trust: Our Anchor in Uncertain Times

“And again, ‘I will put my trust in him’” (Hebrews 2:13a ESV).

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I’m from an era where one’s word was their bond. When someone committed to something, you could trust them to ful fill their promise.

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It used to be that a handshake was more than a polite gesture. It was a firm, reliable commitment to deliver the promise made.

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“Trust is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.”^⁠1

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Commitments made are not to be taken lightly. A promise made by one person to another rightfully provides an expectation that the vow will be performed.

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Trust is foundational to relationships.

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Laws and contracts are created on the bedrock of trust. Employees trust their employer that they will be compensated for the services rendered. Trust is the underpinning of a healthy marriage.

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Frances X. Frei and Anne Morriss remind us: “[Trust] is also the input that makes it possible for leaders to create the conditions for employees to fully realize their own capacity and power.”^⁠2  

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Business leaders understand that group members who trust each other are more apt to cooperate, achieve more than individuals alone, cultivate a greater sense of safety, and foster engagement toward a mission more significant than oneself.

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We need trust. But whom can we trust?

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I admit that “trusting” is becoming increasingly difficult. I’ve encountered too many instances where people did not fulfill their promises. When good intentions encounter roadblocks, it’s easier to take the first exit ramp, choosing to go a different direction than honoring our commitments.

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Too often, those we elect to represent us in government are quick to promise but slow (or neglectful) to deliver.

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The Pew Research Center indicates that “public trust in the federal government, which has been low for decades, has returned to near record lows. Currently, fewer than two-in-ten Americans say they trust the government in Washington to do what is right… the lowest trust measures in nearly seven decades of polling.”⁠³

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When trust seems more difficult, we may opt to live with “distrust.” But this separates and isolates us from meaningful and promising relationships filled with possibilities.

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The author of Hebrews recognizes how important it is to continually return to the One who is constantly trustworthy—the Lord! “And again, I will put my trust in Him.”

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There has always been—and always will be—uncertainty of promises made by others. The intentions of people may be pure. There may be reasons why promises made are not delivered (legitimate or not). But past disappointments will not keep me from trusting, because without trust, there is no relationship.

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Because “…God is my salvation; I will trust and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2 ESV).

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When disappointed because someone betrays my trust, “… Again, I will put my trust in Him…” because God is my anchor in uncertain times.

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1 New Oxford American Dictionary.

2 https://hbr.org/2020/05/begin-with-trust

3 https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2023/09/19/public-trust-in-government-1958-2023/

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