Rest in God's Faithfulness, Not Yours

By Paul David Tripp

If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.

2 Timothy 2:13

Photo by Tony Eight Media on Unsplash

He Is Trustworthy

This verse pictures a radically different way of living, one not natural to most of us.

Most human beings buy into a view of life characterized by the “life is on your shoulders” outlook.

In this view, you are the master of your fate. You have little to rely on other than your instincts, your strength, the wisdom that you’ve collected over the years, your ability to anticipate what is around the corner, your character and maturity, and the natural gifts that you have been given.

But your welcome into God’s family turns all of this upside down. God not only forgives your sins and guarantees you a seat in eternity but welcomes you to a radically new way of living. This new way is not just about submitting to God’s moral code. It is about God covenantally committing himself to be faithful to you forever, unleashing his wisdom, power, and grace for your eternal good.

You can take your life off your shoulders because God has placed it on his. This doesn’t mean that it doesn’t matter how you live, but that your security is not found in your faithfulness, but in His.

He can be trusted even when you cannot. He is faithful to forgive you when convicting grace reveals how unfaithful you have been. Rather than giving you license to do whatever, this truth should give you motivation to continue.

The Effects of Your Sin

First, it causes us to be self-focused. we become too motivated by our wants, needs, and feelings. We are more aware of what we don’t have than of the many wonderful blessings that we have been given. It’s a life of discontentment and envy. Second it causes us to look horizontally for what can only ever be found vertically.

So we look to creation for life, hope, peace, rest, contentment, identity, meaning and purpose, inner peace, and motivation to continue. The problem is that nothing in creation can give you these things.

Psalm 73:25–26 are the words of a man who learned the secret to contentment. When you are satisfied with the Giver, because you have found in Him the life you were looking for, you are freed from the ravenous quest for satisfaction that is the discouraging existence of so many people.

Taken from Rest in God’s Faithfulness, Not Yours by Paul David Tripp, Copyright © June 05, 2021. Used by permission of Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org