Trust and faith are deeply intertwined, and this is why the enemy works so hard to undermine it. At the end of the day, it's important to identify how one thinks God is working and what God is doing. For me, that becomes the basis of trust I have in someone like Trump, for example.

But the trust that God is seeking is not the trust of a small child. That's where it starts, but there are three distinct levels of trust or faith, each of which expresses or results from the growing process.

One, faith (or trust) of a child. Blind trust, blanket trust, unquestioning trust.

Two, faith (trust) of an adolescent. Questioning, doubting but grappling with trust/faith. This is the hardest phase. One's critical thinking begins to blossom at the end of the child phase, and so we poke around, ask questions, query and doubt our previous beliefs or ways of understanding.

This is also where a lot of people get derailed. They lose faith, lose their sense of trust. They buy in to whatever lie the enemy assails them with in this difficult and vulnerable phase.

Three, faith (trust) of an adult. Mature faith/trust. This is faith with understanding. it is faith BECAUSE I now understand. It is faith that is willing to confront difficult and hard questions, but which can still persevere because the faith has blossomed into understanding.

It is also trust that trusts, but which also takes responsibility in the right way. It recognizes that no one but God is perfect. It recognizes that if I choose to trust, that's my choice and decision, and so I will also be responsible for the consequences.

In the journey to grow our faith and ability to trust, there are many hazards. We might be wounded in the child phase, making it very hard to recover. Or we may not have the strength to confront the difficult questions and ideas of the adolescent phase. Or someone betrays us, and the wound stays with us.

That's why reflection, confession (sharing with God our experiences and hurts, etc) and healing are an important aspect of growing our faith/trust capacity.

God actually trusts us, even though we are so often untrustworthy! How can he do that? God's capacity to trust is perfect, because his Heart is perfect.

With someone like DJT, I trust him not to be a perfect man, but I trust in his intentions, his love for America and God, and that his intention is good, and I believe that God can use that. Rather than being perfect, God is looking for us to have a pure intention, a righteous and pure motivation. Then, even when we make mistakes, God can claim the outcome because the heart/motive is good.

Trust and faith are deeply intertwined, and this is why the enemy works so hard to undermine it. At the end of the day, it's important to identify how one thinks God is working and what God is doing. For me, that becomes the basis of trust I have in someone like Trump, for example.

But the trust that God is seeking is not the trust of a small child. That's where it starts, but there are three distinct levels of trust or faith, each of which expresses or results from the growing process.

One, faith (or trust) of a child. Blind trust, blanket trust, unquestioning trust.

Two, faith (trust) of an adolescent. Questioning, doubting but grappling trust/faith. This is the hardest phase. One's critical thinking begins to blossom at the end of the child phase, and so we poke around, ask questions, query and doubt our previous beliefs or ways of understanding.

This is also where a lot of people get derailed. They lose faith, lose their sense of trust. They buy in to whatever lie the enemy assails them with in this difficult and vulnerable phase.

Three, faith (trust) of an adult. Mature faith/trust. This is faith with understanding. it is faith BECAUSE I know understand. It is faith that is willing to confront difficult and hard questions, but which can still persevere because the faith has blossomed into understanding.

It is also trust that trusts, but which also takes responsibility in the right way. It recognizes that now one but God is perfect. It recognizes that if I choose to trust, that's my choice and decision, and so I will also be responsible for the consequences.

In the journey to grow our faith and ability to trust, there are many hazards. We might be wounded in the child phase, making it very hard to recover. Or we may not have the strength to confront the difficult questions and ideas of the adolescent phase. Or someone betrays us, and the wound stays with us.

That's why reflection, confession (sharing with God our experiences and hurts, etc) and healing are an important aspect of growing our faith/trust capacity.

God actually trusts us, even though we are so often untrustworthy! How can he do that? God's capacity to trust is perfect, because his Heart is perfect.

With someone like DJT, I trust him not to be a perfect man, but I trust in his intentions, his love for America and God, and that his intention is good, and I believe that God can use that. Rather than being perfect, God is looking for us to have a pure intention, a righteous and pure motivation. Then, even when we make mistakes, God can claim the outcome because the heart/motive is good.