Trust Fall

Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.

John 14:1 (NLT)

If you’ve ever been to a meeting, camp, or other shindig that is trying to help you better understand how to trust your teammates, then you’ve probably experienced the “Trust Fall.” For those that haven’t, you are placed on an elevated platform, generally three to six feet off the ground. You step to the edge of the platform and turn around so that your back is facing out. Your teammates then gather in parallel lines beneath you with their arms outstretched. You then purposefully allow yourself to fall backward off of the platform into the awaiting arms of your comrades. Needless to say, right before you fall, every fiber of your being is telling you not to do it. This exercise is intended to build trust, but also helps overcome fear. Those who have successfully completed the challenge gain a ton of confidence and pride in their ability to face down fear.

Our faith life is built entirely upon trust. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are essentially saying, I trust you with my entire existence. The words are easy to say. But, when we are faced with troubles in our lives, fear and anxiety begin to creep in. Our minds race with panic. “Perhaps we won’t be able to hold me up when I fall,” we think. Or, “Maybe all of this stuff is made up.” Even worse, “God’s promises don’t apply to me.”

So, how do we overcome our fears? How do we silence the voices in our head that scream not to trust God, let alone anyone? How do we trust God with everything?

It’s quite simple. Fear is born out of ignorance, or not knowing God.

Why did the men and women we see in the Bible trust God so much? Because they worshipped Him, served Him, conversed with Him. They knew God personally. That is the key to trust. It’s built over time as we experience things together.

What makes doing the Trust Fall exercise easier is to know who is catching you. If a bunch of strangers tell me they are going to catch me, I have to question their motives. But, when a group of my friends and family, whom I love, and they love me, say they will catch me, I believe them. And, each time I practice trust, it gets easier. The fear becomes less and less. I’ve probably done the Trust Fall exercise at least a dozen times in my adult life, so I can speak from some experience here. Each time I’ve done it, I have satisfaction that I’ve conquered my fear, and learned to trust my friends, coworkers, or church peeps even more.

I can also speak from experience about God. I guarantee you, God will allow you opportunities to practice your trust in Him. His goal is not to scare you, but allow you moments to build your faith. When He asks you to trust Him, when He asks you to do something which seems scary, outlandish, or just downright dumb, know that He will not let you fall. When you lean back in trust, HIs mighty arms will support you. Let go and let God do His thing.