Trust in God | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 28, 1863

Trust in God.

“Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” 1 Pet. v, 7.

Few things are more calculated to prevent us from serving God effectually than carking care. Yet, there is much in the world that is fitted to beget such a feeling in the mind of the Christian. The corruption of his own heart is often a source of unhappiness to him; and even if, by the grace of God, all his inward foes are not only subdued, but are utterly driven out of his bosom, there is still enough to weigh down his soul. And the temporal circumstances of the child of God are often such as to beget anxiety. His home is often the abode of poverty. Frequently he watches day after day at the couch of a loved one, and sees the light go out from eyes that have beamed softly upon him. Or he has stood by the lifeless form of the companion of his childhood, or followed to the grave her who had been the “angel of his household.” Under such circumstances we are in danger of being swallowed up with over much sorrow. But the text recommends a better course of action, namely, casting our care upon God.

The text does not recommend a trust in God that allows its possessor to neglect any duty. Many live as though they supposed they had nothing to do in regard to their salvation. They act as though they expected to be wafted to heaven without exercising any watchfulness in avoiding the dangers that beset the voyager upon the sea of life. Such carelessness as this has no warrant from the Scriptures; but they every where teach the necessity of watchfulness. They represent the Christian as a warrior. If the soldier fails to be on his guard he is likely to be surprised by his foes and to suffer loss. Is the careless professor likely to “fight the good fight of faith?” We will never wear the victor’s crown until we have fought many battles. But after we have discharged our duty, let us then leave the result with God. We are to rely unfalteringly upon his promises, even when to the eye of reason all appears dark and hopeless. The man of strong faith is careful for nothing. Though his bark is out upon the stormy sea, and the clouds gather darkly around him, he does not despond, for faith shows him Christ standing at the helm.

Many are the reasons why the Christian should cast his care upon God; but the one given in our text, that, “he careth for him,” is sufficient. There is a heartless philosophy in the world that seeks to rob man of the watch-care of God. It asks scoffingly whether the Sovereign of a million worlds will condescend to take any notice of so insignificant a creature as man. But it has never yet been proven that man holds an inferior place in the scale of being; and whatever false philosophy may teach, the believer in revelation knows that God watches over the interests of his children with the greatest care. The infidel may tell us that— “To him, no high, no low, no great, no small, He fills, he bounds, connects, and equals all.

He sees with equal eye, as God of all, A hero perish, or a sparrow fall; Atoms, or systems, into ruin hurled, And now a bubble burst, and now a world.”

But Christ said to his disciples, “Ye are of more value than many sparrows.” As long as it is admitted that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son to die, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life,” it will be impossible to deny that he takes a deep interest in the welfare of his children.

The character of God is such, as to afford a firm foundation for trust in him. He cannot fail to supply the wants of his children on account of ignorance of those wants. The child may die for want of the comforts of life, which its earthly parent would rejoice to supply, was he not ignorant of its condition; but the eye of our heavenly Father is ever upon us—his ear is open to our faintest cry. How cheering to the humble Christian is the language of Christ, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

And his power is equal to his knowledge. Many an earthly parent has wept over the misery from which he was unable to shield his child. Often has the earthly monarch seen the happiness of his faithful subjects destroyed by a ruthless invader, whose progress he had not the power to stay; but no being in heaven or earth has the power to pluck his children out of the hand of God.

Shall he be cast down who has such a protector? Shall he repine over the petty sorrows of life, whose privilege it is, constantly to look up and say to God, “What time I am afraid I will trust in thee.” Shall he not rather rejoice in the fact that God has assured him that “his light afflictions, which are but for a moment, shall work out for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”—Sel.