I have accomplished many things that give me satisfaction. When I put together a small group program and see people connecting, I feel good. When I am able to help someone get involved in an area of service where they flourish, I am thankful to God. When I finish a paper and hand it in, it gives me a sense of accomplishment, especially if I get a good grade!
God has also blessed me with many friends, an amazing wife, children who value me, parents who care about me, and various mentors, counselors, and advisers. When I think of all the people in my life, I am truly grateful for the love that comes my way.
I am also financially stable. I have money in the bank. I’m putting money toward retirement. My church takes good care of me.
The problem is that sometimes I try to do things and fail. Sometimes people hurt me or are not there for me. Sometimes I get a huge bill, and I’m not sure how I’m going to pay for it. If I lean too hard on any of these things for value, love, or provision, they fail me.
And that reminds me that all of these gifts cannot be the ultimate source of my value, love, or provision.
The ultimate source of my value, love, and provision is God Himself and the promises in His Word that He loves me, values me, and will take care of me.
Most of our great sins and pathologies arise from trying to take God’s good gifts and make them the ultimate source of our love, value, and provision.
It is only when we trust in God’s promises that we have an unshakable foundation of value, love, and provision. It is only when we trust in God that we can value His gifts for what they are and not turn them into an idol.
For example, if God is my ultimate source of love, then I can take my children’s love for what it is, a small but wonderful reflection of God’s infinite love. But what if I try to make my children the ultimate source of love? They will always disappoint. It will also probably crush them by placing on them a burden too great for them to bear.
If we can trust God as our ultimate source of love and let humans just be humans, then everyone will function better and have the opportunity to flourish.
Trust in God, then, is necessary for human functioning and flourishing (for a fuller discussion of this issue, see my article here).