Trust With Dependence
Something important I've learned over the past few months. God doesn't just want trust, he wants total dependence. And that's not a bad thing.
With first thought, it may seem weak to add dependence to trust in God. After all, we trust him, but we are not meant to simply sit around and depend upon him to meet our needs. What's being assumed here is dependence that signifies an inability of self-sufficiency. Dependence upon God is stronger than that though. It is a dependence of actions, of emotions, of control. We trust that he is in control, or that he is guiding our actions. When we depend upon him in our actions, emotions are controlled as well, for it's not just trust in that he is doing something good, but the strength of everything relying on someone greater. More capable.
As I don't feel entirely convinced as to what I'm saying yet, I guess I'll continue to define what it is I'm trying to show. Let me take a few steps back.
Matthew 11:29-30 says, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
I love this verse so much. The key word right now is "yoke", because a yoke is placed on a work animal, such as a horse or an ox. The importance is that a yoke is never placed on an unbroken creature. We can trust God, but it doesn't mean that we are broken, and dependence doesn't come from someone who isn't broken. I'm skipping filler material here, because this is really just straightforward, how can I be dependent upon someone that I've not allowed to have authority over me? Why is dependence even important?
I trust myself. I trust others. I trust the chair under me and the electricity being used to write this.
And then there's dependence, that's so close to trust, but carries more weight than trust because it implies submission. I can trust God, but it doesn't mean that I'm going to do things his way. Yet when I'm broken, and accepting that yoke, that guidance of Christ, I'm depending upon him in all that I do. Anything not of Christ is foolhardy, because I'm depending upon him in my actions. Without him, I'm not going anywhere. I can trust him all I want, doing what he wants, and then turn around and do something my way. But when I'm in a state of dependence, doing things my way doesn't work out anymore.
It's a beautiful bond with Christ that is often seen as weakness, yet is completely the opposite. Dependence doesn't frighten me into inaction. With Christ, it inspires me. Why? Because it isn't simply trust that his will is going to be worked out, it's dependence upon him to fulfill his will. I am relieved of all pressure, of all worry, of all thought of incapability, because it simply isn't me. Trust still implies that I am the engine of action, and my strength is not enough. Trust is vital, but dependence becomes vitality.
Romans 8:37-39 says, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
In all these things, our dependence is on Christ. It's not weakness, it's strength. I'll leave it at that.
With first thought, it may seem weak to add dependence to trust in God. After all, we trust him, but we are not meant to simply sit around and depend upon him to meet our needs. What's being assumed here is dependence that signifies an inability of self-sufficiency. Dependence upon God is stronger than that though. It is a dependence of actions, of emotions, of control. We trust that he is in control, or that he is guiding our actions. When we depend upon him in our actions, emotions are controlled as well, for it's not just trust in that he is doing something good, but the strength of everything relying on someone greater. More capable.
As I don't feel entirely convinced as to what I'm saying yet, I guess I'll continue to define what it is I'm trying to show. Let me take a few steps back.
Matthew 11:29-30 says, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
I love this verse so much. The key word right now is "yoke", because a yoke is placed on a work animal, such as a horse or an ox. The importance is that a yoke is never placed on an unbroken creature. We can trust God, but it doesn't mean that we are broken, and dependence doesn't come from someone who isn't broken. I'm skipping filler material here, because this is really just straightforward, how can I be dependent upon someone that I've not allowed to have authority over me? Why is dependence even important?
I trust myself. I trust others. I trust the chair under me and the electricity being used to write this.
And then there's dependence, that's so close to trust, but carries more weight than trust because it implies submission. I can trust God, but it doesn't mean that I'm going to do things his way. Yet when I'm broken, and accepting that yoke, that guidance of Christ, I'm depending upon him in all that I do. Anything not of Christ is foolhardy, because I'm depending upon him in my actions. Without him, I'm not going anywhere. I can trust him all I want, doing what he wants, and then turn around and do something my way. But when I'm in a state of dependence, doing things my way doesn't work out anymore.
It's a beautiful bond with Christ that is often seen as weakness, yet is completely the opposite. Dependence doesn't frighten me into inaction. With Christ, it inspires me. Why? Because it isn't simply trust that his will is going to be worked out, it's dependence upon him to fulfill his will. I am relieved of all pressure, of all worry, of all thought of incapability, because it simply isn't me. Trust still implies that I am the engine of action, and my strength is not enough. Trust is vital, but dependence becomes vitality.
Romans 8:37-39 says, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
In all these things, our dependence is on Christ. It's not weakness, it's strength. I'll leave it at that.
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