Trust or Don't Trust

The College Football season is heating up as we head into Week 9. With plenty of upsets and surprising teams making noise, questions are swirling about who the best teams are and which teams have the greatest chance at making the College Football Playoff.

ESPN.com has an article with the headline, "Who We Can (and Can't) Trust After Week 8 of the College Football Season." In the article, Bill Connelly discusses parity and the lack of elite teams.

Although it may be challenging to determine which teams and players to trust, he shares his opinions on "college football's most -- and least -- trustworthy entities." 

Below is a snapshot:

· Trust Ohio State

· Trust Indiana

· Don't trust the ACC

· Trust Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson

· Trust Georgia's toughness

· Don't trust Arch Manning and Texas' offense

· Trust Notre Dame

Beyond his thoughts, other situations across college football are also worth considering if we trust them or not:

· Do we trust 7-0 Texas A&M?

· Do we trust Bill Belichick to finish the season strong at UNC?

· Do we trust Missouri or Texas Tech?

· Do we trust Cincinnati and its six-game winning streak?

· Have we lost our trust in Michigan, or is it back?

Based on how closely we follow specific teams or conferences and considering what teams have demonstrated so far this college football season, the bottom line is that there are teams, coaches, and situations that warrant trust, while others don't.

When it comes to life, who do we trust and what do we trust? We can absolutely trust in Jesus for our salvation, and we can also trust Him every day to help us as we face life's challenges. As we follow Him closely and consider everything God has already demonstrated to us, we'll have a confident trust in Him.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV) tells us to, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths."

We can also trust in the character of God and His power, faithfulness, and goodness. We can trust that His Word is true and He will fulfill His promises.

Psalm 111:7 (ESV) says, "The works of His hands are faithful and just; all His precepts are trustworthy…"

Psalm 145:13 (NIV) declares, "Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all He does."

On the flipside, just like there are college football teams that can't be trusted, as followers of Jesus, we must be reminded of what we don't trust. We don't trust ourselves and our limited understanding and meager strength to do things on our own, apart from God, and we don't trust other people to do what only God can do.

As we read in Jeremiah 17:5 (ESV), "Thus says the Lord: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.’"

Proverbs 28:26 (TLB) states, "A man is a fool to trust himself! But those who use God's wisdom are safe."

Psalm 118:8 (ESV) adds, "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man."

We must also be diligent not to trust everything we hear without testing it according to Scripture.

1 John 4:1(NLT) warns us, "Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the Spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world."

Just as college football has numerous teams that are untrustworthy, but ultimately, there will be one team worthy of being trusted as it wins the National Championship, there is only one God worthy of being trusted. Therefore, let's continue to seek Him and follow Him.

Let's proclaim Psalm 28:7 (ESV): "The Lord is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him."

I'm Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I trust in You and Your promises and Your character. Help me not to trust in myself or people more than I trust in You. I know I can’t trust myself or others like I can trust You. Thank you for allowing me to know You and for being my strength and my shield. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.