As Christians who believe in the divine empowering of a holy God, we are often encouraged to place unwavering trust in this Spirit-being. Trust is defined as a known reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, and surety of a person or thing.

When we trust in the Lord for the unknowns in life (family estrangement, suicide, chronic illness, hospice, mental illness, addictions, imprisonment, death, unfair system oppression, racial divides, religious abuses, unjust court decisions, betrayal) what we are doing and saying is that we are believing in a power higher than our own to lend strength in guiding us through tragedies, crises, and injustices.

Although we are encouraged to make known our desires to God – to place unwavering trust in the Lord is to allow his sovereign plans to flourish, which may differ from our desires. If I am truly trusting in the Lord, then I must yield, surrender and ‘let go’ of what I want the result to be. This letting goes also includes releasing powerfully charged emotions such as anger, frustration, and/or rage.

Very often it is one’s emotional reactions, the story we tell ourselves, how we interpret what is happening and/or wanting to control, and uncontrollable outcomes that cause much suffering when facing trying ordeals. Instead of having an inordinate focus on the issues, emotions, or unfairness, we can choose to change our attention by doing the mechanical action of letting go of harsh feelings, our wants, and the outcomes we cannot control. At the same time, we learn to understand our human need to continue surrendering and processing those ‘things’ in trusting the integrity, strength, ability, and person of God to lend divine love as a source of supplied Grace.