Five Heart Benefits

"Trust in God." "Trust in Christ." "Trust the Bible." We hear this word often as Christians as we are often encouraged to trust. To trust means to have confidence in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something—to believe that they are honest and will act in your best interest. The word comes into English from two places: an Old Norse word (traust) that means "help, confidence, or protection"; and from an Old English word (treow), meaning "faith, fidelity, or loyalty."

Trust in the Christian life has many benefits. Thomas Manton, the English Puritan and Westminster Assemblyman, provides (Works, v.426) five heart benefits for trusting in the Lord. These are worth meditating on and worth applying.

A Fixed Heart

Trust fixes and establishes the heart against all fears. Psalm 112:7, 'He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.' How often does the Christian fear, resulting in a heart that is unstable.

A Cheerful Heart

Trust reduces our sorrows, and makes us "cheerful in the midst of all difficulties and discouragements." Manton cites Psalm 13:5, which says: 'I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation." He also cites Psalm 52:8: 'I am like a green olive-tree, for I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.'

A Quiet Heart

Trust quiets the heart "as to murmurings and unquiet agitations of spirit, to wait God's leisure." During David's times of trouble he said, 'Why art thou disquieted, O my soul? hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him.' Psalm 42.5. Trust quiets the heart and fixes our eyes on Jesus.

A Focused Heart

Trust banishes and removes "distracting cares and fears; these are a great sin, a reproach to our heavenly Father." In Matthew 6:25, 35, Jesus says, 'Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, nor what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on;' and 'After all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.'

A Kept Heart

Trust "keeps us from warping and turning aside to crooked paths." Manton says, "As long as we are persuaded that God will maintain us by honest and lawful means, we are kept upright with God; but an unbelieving person makes haste; right or wrong, he will be his own carver."