Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Here is another one of those “with all” verses. Is anything less than all a problem? I have a problem with all. It is a without limits and we are if nothing a people that are limited. We are constrained by so many things it only seems natural that we have never reached our full potential of all.

Maybe it is that “with all” is a condition of our ability. Perhaps “with all” is untapped potential. Maybe “with all” changes as we grow in Christ. Yet my problem is how does anything less than all affect my walk with the Lord? How does less than complete trust manifest itself in my behavior towards my brothers and sisters in Christ? How does it look to those who do not know Christ?

The first thing I have to admit is that having been one who could not even trust myself, is that failure to trust might be more of a reflection about how I feel about myself than God. I’ve had to come to a point in my walk that my self-doubt was not a hindrance to my faith.

Matthew 14:30-31 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

If we trust we do not fear and if we do not fear our faith does not falter. But where does it begin, with trust, faith, doubt or something else? Peter took his eyes off Jesus for only a moment and “saw the wind boisterous”. Perhaps it begins with our vision.

Trust is built in relationship. If we do not have a deep personal relationship with God, then our vision of God is less than perfect. We believe we know God but if we react as if our trust isn’t enough to keep us “walking on water” then we need to get closer. Only through a close relationship can we see things with God’s vision, His point of view.