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The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love. 1 John 4:8

That scripture also indicates that if you don’t know God, then you will struggle to trust him. If you are having difficulty trusting him, then you will be prone to lean upon your own understanding.

5-12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. It’s the child he loves that God corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this. Prov. 3:5-12 (MSG)

It’s that first step of faith that we are unsure of. Like a child just learning to walk. They want to walk, in truth, they want to run, because running can put a smile on your face. Unless, of course, you are running from danger. But our faith journey starts with one step, and when we see we are still standing, we are then willing to take the next one.

The same goes with God! You have to take that first step. In fact, you already have. You had faith that He existed and that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for your sins. So now take the second step and trust him with something that is going on in your life. Then the third, and soon you will not simply find yourself walking with God but running! Usually, the runner is extremely confident in where they are going. But for us, we run with God and we are confident in Him!

That is why Paul said:

I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith! 2 Tim. 4:7 (NET)

In order to run, you have to first walk. In order to walk, you have to have knowledge that you can trust. To gain knowledge of God, you have to get to know him. You do that by reading his word and talking to him, and learning to love. Then you attend a church that teaches the word of God and promotes that you have a deep personal relationship with him. Doing so will put a smile on your face.

Copyright © 2025 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.