Jesus, I Don't Trust in You

Like most Christians, Lorraine Hess has no problem declaring her trust in Jesus, but she realizes actions speak louder than words.  

Of course, I trust in Jesus! At least I want to trust in Jesus. I’m know I’m supposed to trust in Jesus. So, I try to trust in Jesus; but, full disclosure, sometimes I act in ways that suggest that I simply do not trust in Jesus.  

When I was in graduate school getting my master's in Pastoral Studies, I did an exegesis on the raising of Lazarus. One of the characters who stood out to me was Martha. Now, poor Martha gets a bum rap in Luke’s Gospel as she is reprimanded for scurrying around the house doing unnecessary prep work while her wise sister sits at the feet of Jesus taking in all that he has to say.

We can all relate to that Martha. But the Martha of John’s Gospel who had just lost her brother had learned her lesson. She runs to Jesus and greets him with the words, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. [But] even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you” (John 11:21-22). 

Pretty strong announcement, no doubt. However, the words that follow are even more profound. When Jesus asked her if she believed that he was the resurrection and that those who believe never die, she responded, “Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world” (John 11:27). 

You and I could say this today without much risk, but Martha put her own life in danger speaking this aloud for all to hear. Hurray for Martha! She was a bold, confident follower of Jesus who was unafraid to call him “Messiah.” You can almost hear her proclaim, “Jesus, I trust in You!” 

Roll Away the Stone 

But then they get to the tomb of Lazarus where Jesus requests the stone be removed. This same Martha who jeopardized her own life a few minutes ago now questions Jesus’ method of helping. “Lord, by now there will be a stench. He has been dead for four days” (John 11:39b).

I can almost see Jesus put His palm to His forehead as He responds, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40). I don’t actually think Jesus would have put His palm to his forehead in front of His grieving friend, Martha, but I certainly have questioned Jesus enough myself to earn a few palms-to-the-forehead, or at least a big sigh from Jesus here and there! 

How often do we put our trust in Jesus only to take back control of the situation the second we see it going a different direction than we intended? How often do we pray with such specificity we don’t leave room for the Holy Spirit to respond in creative ways we never considered? 

 Total surrender to God’s will is a lifelong struggle because the Lord gives us free will. We live in a secular world that rewards power, independence, and control. Trust in God requires humility, dependence, and submission. Couter-culturally, we relinquish the outcome to the One who know best, and it’s scary. Even if we pray a Divine Mercy chaplet every day, we are still called to the action of trusting in Jesus.

After the Resurrection, Jesus asked Simon if he loved Him. Of course, Simon Peter loved Jesus! However, Peter’s words were not enough. The response was to love Jesus not by words alone. He had to go forth and feed the sheep. 

Participation in the Miracle 

When Jesus raised Lazurus from the dead, He invited others to participate in the miracle. Some big strong men had to roll the stone away, even though Jesus could have commanded the stone to move itself. Do we have our own stones that need to be rolled away so the glory of God can be revealed? Are we getting in the way of how Jesus wants to help?  

My type-A personality comes in handy when I am balancing work, kids, deadlines, and errands. But it can become a hindrance when I need to surrender something to God. I find it helpful to start my day mentally placing all my concerns at the foot of the Cross. It’s even more helpful to set an alarm for 3PM reminding me to check to see if I took these concerns back from Him as I pray, “O Blood and Water …”  

Yes, Jesus, I do trust in You. I just need to keep rolling away those stones and get out of Your way.  

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Copyright 2025 Lorraine Hess
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