Choosing To Trust

I stood, waiting for her to appear in the doorway and walk down the aisle.

Weddings express ultimate trust. Two people enter a union in which they make promises to each other. Nothing short of death should fracture the alliance. They promise sexual faithfulness and that they will care for each other in sickness and health; when they have much and when they don’t. It’s a journey of togetherness built on trust.

Unfaithfulness is the great trust destroyer. Though it doesn’t have to destroy a relationship, it often does. Hosea proved marriage can survive it. God said; “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. (Hosea 3:1) And he did.

We’re not told the intricate details of the relationship following Gomer’s restoration, but we can imagine how difficult it was for Hosea to trust her again. Gomer had a seedy reputation to begin with, but Hosea married her anyway because God said to. She lived up to her promiscuous character, and now God told Hosea to give her another chance.

Trust is a delicate choice and the foundational element of marriages and friendships. It takes time to build and can be destroyed by one bad decision. When it is, only determination can rebuild it. Because the work is difficult, many choose to dissolve rather than restore relationships.

While we should never trust those who physically, emotionally or sexually abuse us, healthy relationships require it. Trust involves time, sacrifice and vulnerability, bringing rewards that outweigh the requirements. Trustworthy friends and life partners make living enjoyable.

In spite of our best efforts, we will occasionally disappoint those we love. God is the only completely trustworthy friend. When we’re betrayed or fail others, forgiveness should be instant, and restoration-when possible, should follow quickly. Seeking revenge and
holding grudges never reestablishes trust.

God can empower us to forgive even those who have blatantly betrayed out trust.

Prayer: God, when others have destroyed our trust, empower us with a forgiving spirit.
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