Lesson 2: How Do I Know I Can Trust God?

Youth Development Studies on Personal Values, Goal Setting and Decision-Making

By Gary Petty

A man was hiking alone in the mountains when he stumbled over a cliff. He fell about 20 feet before managing to catch himself on a tree growing precariously from the rocks.

He pulled himself together and began to check out the situation. He had lost his equipment. He had sprained an ankle and cracked a couple of ribs. He was hovering 50 feet above the ground with no way to climb up or down. The man cried out for hours, "Is there anybody there? Help! I'm hurt!" But no one heard.

As night began to fall the wind became cold. He felt himself going into shock. The man prayed for God to help him. Nothing happened. As the last rays of sun faded away he cried out one more time in desperation, "Is there anybody up there?"

He was startled to hear a voice from out of the darkness right on the edge of the cliff above answer, "I'm here."

"Thank you," the man yelled. "I'm injured, do you have a rope?"

"No," came the reply. "But that's OK; I don't need one. You see, I'm God."

After a few minutes of stunned silence the man stammered, "How do I know you're God?"

"You prayed silently for My help. And I came."

The man's mind raced with thoughts and questions. After a while he was convinced that God had really come to help. "I knew You were up there. I knew You would come. Thank You, God! How are You going to save me?"

"Do you have faith that I am the Great Creator and capable of anything?"

"Yes, I believe," replied the man.

"Do you have faith that I want to do what's best for you?"

"I believe!" shouted the man with great fervor.

"Good," God said. "Then just let go!"

A long silence followed. Finally the man yelled out, "Is there anybody else up there?"

Faith is more than belief

Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah in 605 B.C. His policy was to ship the brightest and best youth of a conquered country to Babylon. These young people would be trained to become members of the government. This way he hoped to gain wisdom and loyalty from all over the empire.

Three young Jews, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were kidnapped from their country and forced into the palace school at Babylon. There were advantages, great food, nice clothes, living in the most exciting city in the world. The disadvantages were daunting. How could they faithfully serve God in a place where everyone worshipped a confusing array of gods and goddesses?

Nebuchadnezzar, a known show-off, created a 90-foot-high statue of gold. He commanded that at the sound of certain music everyone was to worship it. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused and were brought before the king.

The punishment was to be swift and horrible. The three Jewish men were to be thrown into a furnace blazing with fire.

Faced with being the main spectacle at a human wiener roast, I'm sure I could come up with a list of reasons why God would understand if I worshipped the statue.

What harm could it do to bow down to this statue? It wasn't real. Besides, I could pray to God while kneeling. Nobody would know. God loves me. He doesn't want me to suffer. If I die, who will intercede for the Jewish people with the Babylonians?

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego knew that those who truly love God couldn't pretend and worship a man-made object. Their answer was simple, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image you have set up" (Daniel 3:16 –18, NIV).

These three men were willing to obey God, even when they didn't know how God would handle the situation. Notice they said, "even if he does not." God saved them from the furnace, but they didn't know that before it happened.

Living faith is more than just believing God exists. Living faith is trusting that God loves us so much that He will do what's best for us—even when we don't understand—even when we suffer—even when we don't know how He'll answer a prayer, we still trust Him to do what's best for us. Sometimes the greatest test of faith is when God's answer is no.

Just like the man hanging over the precipice, our faith isn't real until letting go tests it.

1. Everyone would like to think that God is happy with him or her. What do you think you could do to please God?

2. Hebrews 11:6 says that it is impossible to please God without faith. What are three elements of faith listed in this verse?

3. What is faith? Hebrews 11:1–3: Copy these verses, then write them in your own words.

4. James 2:14–26: Real faith must encompass more than mere belief that God exists.

What does James say must accompany faith to make it real?

What kind of "works" is he writing about?

5. Romans 1:16–17: What does Paul teach about the results of real faith?

6. Acts 8:26–38: Philip baptizes the Ethiopian eunuch. Notice verses 26–38: What did Philip say the Ethiopian man had to do before he could be baptized?

7. Acts 16:25 –34: What did Paul tell the jailer he must do before he could be baptized?

8. 2 Corinthians 4:7–18: Paul teaches that faith leads to hope even in hard times.

Verses 7–11: How does Jesus live His life in a person?

Verses 12–15: What is the hope of all those who have faith in God and Christ?

Verses 16–18: How does faith help us fight depression and despair?

Describe a time when God has helped you or someone you know in a bad time.

Wrap-up

• It is impossible to please God without faith. Faith includes belief in God's existence and belief that He is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

• Faith includes willing obedience to God's will. Faith is total trust and commitment to God.

• Faith is a requirement for baptism.

• Faith gives us hope in bad times that God will work things out for our own good. It gives us hope in the future resurrection.