The Balance of Trust: is it all in my head?

Note: I originally wrote this post back in November but for some reason didn't ever post it. I just read it again and decided to post it.

I've always had the idea that there exists a balance between trusting God and doing things ourselves. I've thought that if I try to do everything myself then I must not be trusting God. However, if I sit back and trust God to take care of all my needs and troubles, I become apathetic and lazy.

Let me present a current example in my life.

Right now I am unemployed and looking for a job. The balance of trust in this case, if it exists, means balancing my efforts to find a job and my trusting in the Lord . I know that I need to trust God to place me in the job that he wants me to be in and I do trust him to do that. However, with this attitude, I am in danger of sitting on my couch waiting for someone to knock on my door and say, "Hey, I have no idea who you are but God told me to give you this job." It's not gonna happen.

On the other hand, if I fail to trust in God and rely on myself to find a job, I am in danger of getting angry and frustrated at the futility of my own inabilities. I feel that the more effort I put into finding a job the more I am relying on myself and the less I am relying on God. I've also never been a fan of the saying "God helps those who help themselves" because it puts a human controlled condition on what God does.

Thus, I must find a balance between finding a job on my own power and being patient (waiting) for God to provide for me. Perhaps this balance means throwing myself and all my efforts into finding a job, not waiting for God to provide for me, but trust that my efforts will not be in vain. Perhaps it means not getting discouraged when my efforts seem to be in vain but trusting that God has a reason for denying me the results I seek.

Abraham and Job

Abraham and Job both had incredible faith. God either tested or allowed the faith of both men to be tested. Abraham was willing to give up the one thing he had been waiting for his entire life. He was willing, with his own hand, to destroy the very thing that God had promised him; the one person upon which he had placed all his hopes and dreams.

Job did not have a choice. Job was a godly man, who cared for his family more than anything else, excluding his relationship with God. God allowed this to be taken from him suddenly and without warning.

Which trial would be more difficult? For Abraham, he had to make the choice between God and God's promise, Isaac. This choice must have been excruciating to make, especially since he had a few days to think about it. After he made the choice, he had to kill Isaac with his own hand. Yet he still had a degree of control, he could have refused to sacrifice Isaac to God.

On the other hand, Job had no choice, he was a victim of circumstances and had absolutely no control over what happened to him. He was completely powerless and not only did he lose his family, he lost all his possessions and his health as well. Once one loses their health, it makes it infinitely more difficult to make right decisions.

Both men kept their faith and did not deny God what he asked for. Both men were rewarded similarly, but differently. Abraham was allowed to keep that which we was willing to give up. The ram appeared and Isaac lived. God gave Job his health back and another family.

It seems to me that Abraham's reward was greater than Job's. Abraham had surrendered Isaac to God but received him back. Abraham's joy must have been even greater than when he first received Isaac. Yes, Job received another family, but he still had to deal with the memories of his first family and the emotional scars of his trial. He did not receive that which he lost, but replacements. I wonder if Abraham's greater reward is an indication that his trial was greater?

More on Abraham's trial coming soon...