"Trust" is one of the few songs on the Steady On album that I did not write- at least not fully. This song was written by Ernie Contreras in my previous band, Legacy. While I did change a lot of the music and lyrics for Steady On (most notably writing the bridge), the core of this song is his.
So what's the key to "Trust"? Simply put, it's about a dependence on God for restoration. At one point or another we all have fallen short and hurt other people- that's the problem with sin and our fight against the flesh, even as believers with faith in Christ. If you are like me, the knowledge that you've hurt another person is devastating. None of us wants to be that person who is responsible for causing harm. We know that we've let people down when we sin against them, but even moreso we hurt the heart of God.
There are a few fleshly answers to realizing that we've sinned against someone- some of us run and hide. We just want it all to go away and cover over our shame. Others want to work really hard to show ourselves approved, and some will even demand others acknowledge the great strides we've made toward making things right. But ultimately, these are not Godly answers- they all rely on us placing our worth and value in our own accomplishments, and sometimes forcing others to act in accordance with the view we have of ourselves.
But true repentance and contrition comes with a real trust in the Lord- by acknowledging our failures and having faith in God's restoring work of sanctification. This doesn't mean that we tell everyone they need to forgive us- it means that we focus on our own lives, and when we are victorious over the flesh, that God will show others the fruit he wants them to see. If God needs for us to be restored in someone else's eye, he will make it happen.
And yes, there are those who will never see a change. Some are too hurt by what we've done to let us back in to a close relationship, which is fair- we all need those kinds of boundaries. Others will be content to judge us and hold our past against us, no matter what that past is. Can we live with that? Can we be OK being judged in the eyes of others even after God has done a mighty work of repentance in our lives? I think we can if our focus is not on how others see us, but in how God sees us.
I think the "trick" to the Christian life is learning what it means to "abide" in Jesus, and many of the songs I've written (or contributed to, as in this case) explore this idea. When we've fallen short, we don't go around demanding forgiveness or hiding our sin from everyone- we trust God to flow through us, change us, and then grow genuine fruit that demands a verdict. And if others don't want to see that, then we can leave them in God's hands, because between us and God there is no condemnation for a truly repentant believer in Christ.
I hope this song can be an encouragement to stop focusing on our failures, or the views other have of our failures, and put our eyes squarely on Jesus. He will grow the fruit- let us be branches full of life, not regret and failure.
So what's the key to "Trust"? Simply put, it's about a dependence on God for restoration. At one point or another we all have fallen short and hurt other people- that's the problem with sin and our fight against the flesh, even as believers with faith in Christ. If you are like me, the knowledge that you've hurt another person is devastating. None of us wants to be that person who is responsible for causing harm. We know that we've let people down when we sin against them, but even moreso we hurt the heart of God.
There are a few fleshly answers to realizing that we've sinned against someone- some of us run and hide. We just want it all to go away and cover over our shame. Others want to work really hard to show ourselves approved, and some will even demand others acknowledge the great strides we've made toward making things right. But ultimately, these are not Godly answers- they all rely on us placing our worth and value in our own accomplishments, and sometimes forcing others to act in accordance with the view we have of ourselves.
But true repentance and contrition comes with a real trust in the Lord- by acknowledging our failures and having faith in God's restoring work of sanctification. This doesn't mean that we tell everyone they need to forgive us- it means that we focus on our own lives, and when we are victorious over the flesh, that God will show others the fruit he wants them to see. If God needs for us to be restored in someone else's eye, he will make it happen.
And yes, there are those who will never see a change. Some are too hurt by what we've done to let us back in to a close relationship, which is fair- we all need those kinds of boundaries. Others will be content to judge us and hold our past against us, no matter what that past is. Can we live with that? Can we be OK being judged in the eyes of others even after God has done a mighty work of repentance in our lives? I think we can if our focus is not on how others see us, but in how God sees us.
I think the "trick" to the Christian life is learning what it means to "abide" in Jesus, and many of the songs I've written (or contributed to, as in this case) explore this idea. When we've fallen short, we don't go around demanding forgiveness or hiding our sin from everyone- we trust God to flow through us, change us, and then grow genuine fruit that demands a verdict. And if others don't want to see that, then we can leave them in God's hands, because between us and God there is no condemnation for a truly repentant believer in Christ.
I hope this song can be an encouragement to stop focusing on our failures, or the views other have of our failures, and put our eyes squarely on Jesus. He will grow the fruit- let us be branches full of life, not regret and failure.
I have been tainted
With all the pain the pain I've caused in my life
I know am not
The person you desire me to be
I try to speak the truth
But I cannot do it on my own
Something's missing
When I try to show the word your love
Will they see my eyes and see you dancing inside?
Will the love you give come flowing out
And reach to those around?
I must hold on you and believe you will
Reveal yourself through me
I will trust in you- Depend on you
To flood me with your love
I've got to learn to trust in you Lord
Trust
I'm always changing
You're growing me a little every day
All my failings
You have worked for good in my life
Only you
can be the strength that keeps me moving on
I trust that you
Will show the world the difference you have made
Will they see my eyes and see you dancing inside?
Will the love you give come flowing out
And reach to those around?
I must hold on you and believe you will
Reveal yourself through me
I will trust in you- Depend on you
To flood me with your love
I've got to learn to trust in you Lord
Trust
I'm growing up- learning the lesson all to well
That people see What it is they want to see
I want to grow fruit that cannot be ignored
Your are my vine- I am your branch
You are my life- you are the truth that has set me free
Will they see my eyes and see you dancing inside?
Will the love you give come flowing out
And reach to those around?
I must hold on you and believe you will
Reveal yourself through me
I will trust in you- Depend on you
To flood me with your love
I've got to learn to trust in you Lord
Trust in you Lord
Trust in you Lord
Trust in you Lord