Misplaced Trust
If God is good, but good isnt God, how do we avoid making some of our worst mistakes with the best things in life?
In an effort to clarify the problem of misplaced trust, what if we said to our hearts: Love God, but dont depend on your love for Him. Seek to know Him, but dont rely on your own understanding. Make it your purpose to serve Him, but dont ever imagine that Hes indebted to your service. Make it your objective to please Him, but dont depend on your own efforts to do so.
Listen to your conscience, but dont depend on your own ability to discern right from wrong. Plan your way, but dont presume to know whats ahead.
Seek good relationships, but dont depend on good relationships. Try to find the company of wise people, but dont stake your life on their counsel. Know the Word of God, but dont make a god of your knowledge. Surround yourself with good teachers, but dont idolize them. Feel sorrow for your sin, but dont count on your sorrow to assure rightness with God.
Count your money and manage it well, but dont suppose that any amount of money can secure safety or satisfaction. Establish budgets to discipline your use of resources, but dont depend on your budgets. Work hard, but dont depend on your work.
Sacrifice for the sake of others, but dont depend on your sacrifice. Be generous, but dont depend on your generosity. Seek to be self-disciplined, but dont rely on your own self-discipline. Seek at all costs to be good, but dont rely on your own goodness or godliness.
Be clever, but dont depend on your cleverness. Seek to be wise, but dont trust your wisdom. Try to understand yourself and others, but dont lean on your own communication skills.
Be kind, but dont rely on your kindness. Love others, but dont be proud of your own love. Give gifts to others, but dont depend on your gifts to accomplish the intent for which you gave them. Work hard to be a peacemaker, but dont make peace into a god. Be faithful to others, but dont rely on your own faithfulness.
Seek to be successful, but dont bank on your own accomplishments. Try to be efficient, but dont rely on your own efficiency. Be careful, but dont depend on your own carefulness. Work to make good decisions, but dont depend on your own decisions. Develop a strategy, but dont count on your strategies. Set goals, but dont depend on your goals. Define clear and measurable objectives, but dont count on your objectives.
Pray, but dont make an idol out of your prayers. Make worship a priority, but dont depend on your worship. Know your spiritual gifts, but dont pin your faith on them.
Entrust yourself to others, but dont depend on others. Follow good leaders, but dont depend on good leaders. Surround yourself with good advisors, but dont rely on your advisors. Read good books, but dont depend on books. Value friendships, but dont depend on your friends. Be careful about your appearance, but dont rely on good looks. Try to stay healthy, but dont depend on your own efforts to be healthy. Enjoy rest, but dont live for your weekends. Exercise your body, but dont trust your exercise to assure well-being and health. Try to live a long life, but dont count on a long life.
Enjoy good times, but dont depend on good times. Be thankful for todays provisions, but dont lean on these provisions for tomorrow.
Value a good education, but dont worship education. Learn from your mistakes, but dont depend on what youve learned. Use technology, but dont depend on technology. Invest your money wisely, but dont count on your investments.
Try to think clearly, but dont depend on your own thoughts. Try to reason logically, but dont be conceited about your own thoughtfulness. Value your accomplishments, but dont become puffed up over them.
Honor your parents, but dont live for your parents approval. Love your children, but dont make gods of them. Enjoy your grandchildren. Pray for them. Give them your love and example. But dont tie your hopes and dreams to their choices.
Father, help us to hear You when You urge the wise not to trust in their wisdom, nor the strong to depend on their strength. Help us to hear You when You invite us to rely on this and this alonethat we know You, the everlasting God (Jeremiah 9:23-24). Teach us, Father, to trust what You have done for us through the undeserved provisions of Your Spirit, Your Son, and Your grace.
And help us to hear Your servant when he lovingly writes, The Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols (1 John 5:20-21).
Misplaced Trust - rbc ministries
If God is good, but good isnt God, how do we avoid making some of our worst mistakes with the best things in life?
In an effort to clarify the problem of misplaced trust, what if we said to our hearts: Love God, but dont depend on your love for Him. Seek to know Him, but dont rely on your own understanding. Make it your purpose to serve Him, but dont ever imagine that Hes indebted to your service. Make it your objective to please Him, but dont depend on your own efforts to do so.
Listen to your conscience, but dont depend on your own ability to discern right from wrong. Plan your way, but dont presume to know whats ahead.
Seek good relationships, but dont depend on good relationships. Try to find the company of wise people, but dont stake your life on their counsel. Know the Word of God, but dont make a god of your knowledge. Surround yourself with good teachers, but dont idolize them. Feel sorrow for your sin, but dont count on your sorrow to assure rightness with God.
Count your money and manage it well, but dont suppose that any amount of money can secure safety or satisfaction. Establish budgets to discipline your use of resources, but dont depend on your budgets. Work hard, but dont depend on your work.
Sacrifice for the sake of others, but dont depend on your sacrifice. Be generous, but dont depend on your generosity. Seek to be self-disciplined, but dont rely on your own self-discipline. Seek at all costs to be good, but dont rely on your own goodness or godliness.
Be clever, but dont depend on your cleverness. Seek to be wise, but dont trust your wisdom. Try to understand yourself and others, but dont lean on your own communication skills.
Be kind, but dont rely on your kindness. Love others, but dont be proud of your own love. Give gifts to others, but dont depend on your gifts to accomplish the intent for which you gave them. Work hard to be a peacemaker, but dont make peace into a god. Be faithful to others, but dont rely on your own faithfulness.
Seek to be successful, but dont bank on your own accomplishments. Try to be efficient, but dont rely on your own efficiency. Be careful, but dont depend on your own carefulness. Work to make good decisions, but dont depend on your own decisions. Develop a strategy, but dont count on your strategies. Set goals, but dont depend on your goals. Define clear and measurable objectives, but dont count on your objectives.
Pray, but dont make an idol out of your prayers. Make worship a priority, but dont depend on your worship. Know your spiritual gifts, but dont pin your faith on them.
Entrust yourself to others, but dont depend on others. Follow good leaders, but dont depend on good leaders. Surround yourself with good advisors, but dont rely on your advisors. Read good books, but dont depend on books. Value friendships, but dont depend on your friends. Be careful about your appearance, but dont rely on good looks. Try to stay healthy, but dont depend on your own efforts to be healthy. Enjoy rest, but dont live for your weekends. Exercise your body, but dont trust your exercise to assure well-being and health. Try to live a long life, but dont count on a long life.
Enjoy good times, but dont depend on good times. Be thankful for todays provisions, but dont lean on these provisions for tomorrow.
Value a good education, but dont worship education. Learn from your mistakes, but dont depend on what youve learned. Use technology, but dont depend on technology. Invest your money wisely, but dont count on your investments.
Try to think clearly, but dont depend on your own thoughts. Try to reason logically, but dont be conceited about your own thoughtfulness. Value your accomplishments, but dont become puffed up over them.
Honor your parents, but dont live for your parents approval. Love your children, but dont make gods of them. Enjoy your grandchildren. Pray for them. Give them your love and example. But dont tie your hopes and dreams to their choices.
Father, help us to hear You when You urge the wise not to trust in their wisdom, nor the strong to depend on their strength. Help us to hear You when You invite us to rely on this and this alonethat we know You, the everlasting God (Jeremiah 9:23-24). Teach us, Father, to trust what You have done for us through the undeserved provisions of Your Spirit, Your Son, and Your grace.
And help us to hear Your servant when he lovingly writes, The Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols (1 John 5:20-21).
Misplaced Trust - rbc ministries
