The Get Dressed Series, pt. 2

When I left you last week I was in deep thought about trust and relationships. As we build a relationship with a person, we tend to grow in trust as well. The two kind of go hand in hand. I am not likely to share with a person my deepest, darkest secrets or my newborn child for that matter, if I don't trust them.

Merriam-Webster defines trust as

1a: assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something

b: one in which confidence is placed

2a: dependence on something future or contingent : HOPE

3a: a property interest held by one person for the benefit of another

4a: CARE, CUSTODY the child committed to her trust

b(1): a charge or duty imposed in faith or confidence or as a condition of some relationship (2): something committed or entrusted to one to be used or cared for in the interest of another

There was plenty more to this definition. I took out a few things that didn't necessarily pertain to this particular post but there was plenty. Apparently, trust isn't something that can be simply defined by the dictionary as it takes on many forms.

Trust in any relationship is pretty significant. When I think about trust I think about my husband whom I trust to keep me safe and protected. In our fifteen years together he has shown me many times over that when I am in a challenging situation, I can count on him to be there to help me through. I think about my sister and best friend who, no matter what, accept me for who I am, flaws and all. Again, if I am in need, I trust that they will come through.

When I think back to Romans 13:14 - clothe yourself in the Lord Jesus Christ, I am still struck with, is it that easy?

Growing up, my mom took my siblings and I to church regularly. In fact, going to church was a fun time for me. It was not something I dreaded having to do. I knew I would see my friends at church. I believe the adults in our church family assumed that since, as kids, we spent so much time at church for regular service, Sunday School, Wednesdays for Prayer Meetings and Saturdays for usher or choir practice that we knew to trust God with our lives. We were taught that Jesus died for our sins and that we should be thankful yet it wasn't until I was in my late 20's that I met a woman who talked to me about actually studying the Bible for myself. She talked to me about having a personal relationship with God.

Up to that point in my life, God was real, church was something I did on Sundays and the rest of the week I basically figured out my life as it went. When my friend began studying the Bible with me, reading with me and us discussing scripture together, I began to understand what it meant to have a relationship with God. I soon learned that there was so much more to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

However, just like the Israelites, I had my moments. I trusted God, was angry with God, questioned God, doubted God and walked away from God. Although, I don't know how one walks away from God but that pondering is for another time. Anyway, back and forth, I did this with God. Time and time again when I did not understand something or felt as if I was somehow being cheated, I got angry.

In thinking about building trust and having a relationship with God, I think about the relationship I have with my sister, close friends and my husband. I'd trust them, get angry with them, question their intentions and walk away from them when they didn't agree with me, see my so called vision or when they actually had the audacity to tell me the truth about myself when I didn't want to face it.

What changed? Two things. The first, I matured and learned. The second, what I learned most was that the people who loved me only wanted what was best for me. I never doubted their love and that made it easy to grow in my relationship with them.

So when I look at Roman 13:14 and ask is it that easy, my response would have to be yes and no. No, it's not easy if you do not have a personal relationship with God that you consistently work on and yes, it is that easy if you do.

What we can't expect is that because is says so in the Bible a person will automatically know it and do it. We have to teach people and allow them the time to build a relationship with God, to be able to discern His voice for themselves and to trust in Him. Trust is not automatic for anyone, let's be honest. So, we have to ask ourselves, can a real, true and deep relationship with God be built without trust? If there is no trust, seriously, how long can the relationship stand or even grow?