I’ve been talking this week about God’s promises and his faithfulness to keep his promises. A promise is only as good as the one who promised, right? We’ve had far too many examples of politicians who promise so much and deliver so little, so that now in general we just don’t trust politicians. The Pew Research Center reports only 20% of Americans today say they can trust the government to do what is right.
It may be true that because you have been sorely disappointed in what others have promised you, you have difficulty trusting God. I just want to encourage you today that, no matter how much you’ve been disappointed or let down by others, you can trust God, because he is trustworthy.
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22–23).
Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations (Psalm 119:89–90).
God is faithful and therefore his eternal Word is faithful.
We learn to trust God by getting to know his character. And we get to know his character through his Word and through our own history of his faithfulness to us. Have you forgotten God’s faithfulness to you in the past? Sometimes when you’re in the midst of a troubling situation, you just forget how God has helped you in the past; how he has proved himself true. I encourage you right now to recite out loud God’s faithfulness to you in the past. By remembering his past faithfulness, you will learn to trust his future faithfulness.
Here is one last promise as this new year begins, from our trustworthy God. It’s a go-to promise for you for the entire year, from Isaiah 41:10:
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).