Do You TRUST HIM? Trust Before Identity in Christ

Today we're diving into something foundational. Do you truly trust God? Before we can fully embrace who we are in Christ, our identity, we have to settle the question of trust. Because identity without trust is just information. Trust makes it alive in our hearts. Hey friend, welcome to Forward Path with Melissa: Life and Marriage God's Way. I'm Melissa, small-town girl from Iowa. Wife to my best friend since 2007, mom of 2, mental health therapist since 2009, and founder of Forward Path. I'm forever grateful that God took a shy, insecure kid and showed her who she really is in Him, giving her just enough humble confidence to stand for what's true, because that changed everything. Forward Path and this podcast is the stirring God wouldn't let go of in my heart. Because the world can feel heavy and dark, but we are called to be different, to shine His light, especially in our marriage and homes. So every week we're gonna open scripture, pull from real-life counseling experience, coaching knowledge, and talk honestly about the messy and the beautiful, how to disagree well, love deeply, heal, parent with purpose, and keep walking forward with Jesus. Very good. Because your growth isn't just about you. It's about glorifying the One who designed it all. So grab your coffee. Let's walk forward together. This is episode 14, Do You Trust Him? Trust Before Identity in Christ. Do you remember those trust falls where you turn around backwards, trusting that the people below or behind you are going to catch you? I'm terrible at them. I, if I'm incredibly honest, I don't trust a ton of people. Unfortunately, that's a bit of a hazard of being a therapist for 16 years. I've seen thousands of people hurting other people, letting them down, lying to them, and intentionally causing them harm. So I don't trust people I don't know as kind of a general rule, and then even people I know, It takes time. But don't— what does trust actually mean? Well, the definition of trust is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. So who do we know God to be? This is where it starts. Scripture paints a clear picture of His character. One that's infinitely trustworthy. He's faithful. Lamentations 3:23-24 says, His mercies are new every morning; great is His faithfulness. He doesn't change like shifting shadows. We hear that in James 1:17. He's good and loving. Psalm 105: The Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. We can read in Deuteronomy 7:9 calls him the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love to a thousand generations. He's sovereign and wise. His understanding is infinite , and he works all things for the good of those who love him . He's our refuge. Psalm 91:2, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust. And Numbers 23:19 reminds us, God is not a man that He should lie, or son of man that He should change His mind. Guys, when we really know Him— not just know about Him— these truths become the foundation for trust. He's proven reliable over and over. From creation to the cross, He's kept every promise in our lives. So what stops people from trusting Him? Because this is where it ends up being the breakdown. Well, here are a few common barriers I see in counseling, and I've seen from others. The actions of Christians. Sadly, hypocrisy or harm from other believers can shake trust. When people see judgment, division, abuse of power, or Christians failing to live out love, it makes them question, if his followers act like that, can I trust him? There was a Barna research that showed past experiences with religious institutes or perceived hypocrisy are top reasons for doubt. And that's heartbreaking, but unfortunately it's true. But we are imperfect ambassadors, and our failures can lead people away from Him instead of toward Him. But remember, don't judge the perfect God by the imperfect people. Look at Jesus. He's the true representation, not people. Another reason why people doubt God is the state of society. We live in a broken world full of injustice, violence, division, and suffering. And when evil seems to win or culture mocks faith, it's easy to wonder, where is God? Is He really in control? And it can feel like the world is spinning out of control, making trust feel risky. This one's probably the, the big one: when bad things happen. This is the loss, illness, betrayal, unanswered prayers. Why does God allow pain? And we don't have all of the answers to this one as to why some things happen to some people and not others. But I also know God gave us free will. Because He wants us to choose Him freely— to choose relationship and obedience. But that also means people can choose not to follow Him. And unfortunately, that path of not choosing Him can have consequences for innocent people, like sin rippling out. Yet even in suffering, scripture promises God is near. Psalm 34:18, He weeps with us. John 11:35, He redeems. Genesis 50:20. Trust doesn't mean no pain. It means believing He's good even when we don't understand. And albeit there's a lot of times we don't understand. I've sat with hurt and pain caused by others, kids abused, generational dysfunction and trauma, The grasp of addiction, infidelity. But I've also experienced beautiful examples of God's faithfulness in my therapy office. There's been multiple times where I've had people cancel sessions for various reasons, and then truly moments later, someone else will call or email asking if I have any openings. Guys, that's God's timing. And I always let them know that he provided for them. Or I remember one time I woke up in the middle of the night with this sense that I was supposed to go read my Bible. It was like 3 o'clock in the morning. So, I mean, I got up, and then I asked God if there was a particular book, and it felt like, nope, just keep going where you are. And it It was about money and stewarding money. And I finished the section and kind of felt like I was just kind of allowed to go back to bed. And my very first session that morning was a woman asking about biblical money management. And now this one happens a lot. The exact issue or topic or struggle I'm having, and I'm talking tears while praying, searching Bible verses, or questioning why things are happening. Those will be the exact theme for multiple of my therapy sessions that day. Those are hard and beautiful. I'm able to reinforce for others the exact thing God is also reinforcing for me. And there are multiple times that I pray silent prayers during therapy sessions with, God, I don't know what to say. Give me the words. And the Holy Spirit provides reassurance that it's not from me, Bible verses that I'm not sure I knew. If we seek, He is always there, just not always in the way we expect. Once we have trust, then that leads to faith. The definition of faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something. It's active trust in God's character and promises rather than mere intellectual belief. Hebrews 11:1, now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance of what we do not see. That combination of trust and faith is what leads to hope, and that's my favorite definition. Hope is a confident expectation that God will prevail. It's my belief and trust in who God is that leads to faith, which then allows me to have hope in Him. It is once we have trust, faith, and hope that we can then focus on developing our identity in Christ. Because your identity in Christ means your worth, purpose, and who you are are rooted in Him. It's a solid foundation because I believe God's character. He's good, perfect, righteous, just, and loving. I can believe in who He says I am: chosen, loved, redeemed, secure. Ephesians 1:4-7 and Romans 8:38-39. But if I don't believe in Him, why would I believe in who He says I am? Because it wouldn't really matter. Proverbs 3:5-6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Before we can claim, I'm chosen, we need to trust the Chooser. When we don't trust, we grasp for control, question His love during hard seasons, or define ourselves by what others say. So here are some reflection questions and maybe some practical steps to build trust. What is your level of trust in who God is right now on a scale of 1 to 10? Be honest with yourself and Him. I promise He can handle it. If you don't trust Him fully or not completely, how come? What is it? Past hurts? Unanswered prayers? Fears? Loss of control, or something else? Name it. Here are some practical steps to grow your trust. Daily declarations: start each morning with Proverbs 3:5-6 out loud. Lord, today I choose to trust you with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding. And know his character. Pick out one attribute, maybe his faithfulness, and read related verses daily for a week. Journal how you've seen that characteristic in your life. I promise you'll have at least a few examples. And then the hardest one, or at least for me, practice surrendering. When worry hits, pray, God, I release this to you. I trust your goodness more than my plan. Ask questions. Share with a trusted friend your questions about God. and ask how they experienced Him in their life. Maybe memorize a verse to focus on. Psalm 9:10 is a good one: Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You. Let me end with a prayer. Father, thank You for being perfectly trustworthy— faithful when we waver, loving when we doubt, sovereign even In chaos. I pray for my friends listening right now. If trust feels shaky, meet them in that place. Heal wounds from people or pain that make it hard to lean on You. Remind them of who You are: the unchanging Rock, the Good Shepherd, the One who keeps every promise. Build their faith step by step, turning trust into confident hope. Help them root their identity deeply in You, not circumstances or feelings. Give them courage to surrender control and rest in Your goodness. In Jesus' name, amen. Guys, that's all for today. Thank you for walking this stretch of the path with me. If today's episode encouraged you even a little, would you do 2 quick things? Hit subscribe or follow in your podcast app. So you never miss an episode and share it with one friend who maybe needs it. That's the easiest way for this light to keep spreading. Check out my free Identity in Christ affirmations resource to reinforce who God says you are. Go to melissagendreau.com/free-resources or check the show notes for the link. And if you haven't checked out my website yet, melissagendreau.com, you can explore my— You can explore my courses, coaching, and private community. If you're not sure where to start, DM me on Instagram for a private conversation so I can get to know you and make personalized recommendations. Find me on Instagram @forwardpathwithmelissa. Until next Monday, keep shining, keep growing, and keep moving forward God's way. See you soon, and God bless.