Trust is a finicky thing. Some say trust has to be earned, yet others say that trust is a decision. This brings up a good point as to what is one of life's foundational beliefs. Do I have to have faith that the air that I breathe is going to provide life to my lungs, or do I just put the act of inhaling and exhaling into motion. Trust is sometimes substituted in peoples conversations and thought patterns as synonomous with Faith.
If I trust somebody that is holding a belay line while I am rappelling down a mountain face, then I am putting my life in their hands. Obviously, I trust them with my life. If I board an airplane to fly to Florida, then I also am trusting the airline pilot with my life. Each of these acts can be one time events for me that do not require earning trust. The moment of decision is instantaneously made when I decide to put my life in their hands. I do not interview the pilot ahead of time to see how many hours he has flying a 737. I also do not request the same pilot the next time I fly. So if this is the case, then how is trust lost, and can it only be gained back through the other party earning it?
I was talking with somebody today who shared how their spouse had had an affair. She said that she didn't trust him, and that it might take a lifetime to "Earn" his trust back. I am 100% against divorce, but it is no wonder in our society that we have such a high rate of infidelity and divorces. Once the act of losing trust is lost, then people are not willing to do what it takes to get that trust back. Please understand that I am not saying that infidelity is the only way to lose trust. I have known people that have run up credit cards behind their spouses back without them knowing. Others have had gambling addictions, golf obsessions, etc...
The question that arises is simple. Is Trust a decision or something that you have to Earn. Isaiah 26:4 says, "Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock." Man will fail you, but God is a solid rock. Houses fall, but God remains standing. If I can't earn God's Grace, but rather I have to accept it as a free gift through Faith, then shouldn't Trust be the same way in our lives?
If I trust somebody that is holding a belay line while I am rappelling down a mountain face, then I am putting my life in their hands. Obviously, I trust them with my life. If I board an airplane to fly to Florida, then I also am trusting the airline pilot with my life. Each of these acts can be one time events for me that do not require earning trust. The moment of decision is instantaneously made when I decide to put my life in their hands. I do not interview the pilot ahead of time to see how many hours he has flying a 737. I also do not request the same pilot the next time I fly. So if this is the case, then how is trust lost, and can it only be gained back through the other party earning it?
I was talking with somebody today who shared how their spouse had had an affair. She said that she didn't trust him, and that it might take a lifetime to "Earn" his trust back. I am 100% against divorce, but it is no wonder in our society that we have such a high rate of infidelity and divorces. Once the act of losing trust is lost, then people are not willing to do what it takes to get that trust back. Please understand that I am not saying that infidelity is the only way to lose trust. I have known people that have run up credit cards behind their spouses back without them knowing. Others have had gambling addictions, golf obsessions, etc...
The question that arises is simple. Is Trust a decision or something that you have to Earn. Isaiah 26:4 says, "Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock." Man will fail you, but God is a solid rock. Houses fall, but God remains standing. If I can't earn God's Grace, but rather I have to accept it as a free gift through Faith, then shouldn't Trust be the same way in our lives?
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