Have you ever placed your trust in someone only to discover that they did not deserve it? Unfortunately, it’s part of everyone’s life experience.  Sometimes it happens because a person makes a mistake, apologizes, and grows from it. Other times, we discover that someone has a pattern of being dishonest, manipulative, or simply untrustworthy. Those experiences can leave deep wounds.

The prophet Jeremiah reminds us that our deepest confidence was never meant to rest in people. Human beings—even the best of us—are imperfect. When we depend on people to provide the security, acceptance, or faithfulness that only God can give, disappointment is inevitable.

We Don’t Need To Fake It

The wonderful news is that God never asks us to pretend we haven’t been wounded. Instead, He invites us to move our trust from people to Him. Jeremiah compares the person who trusts in the Lord to a tree planted beside a river. Even when the heat comes and drought surrounds it, its roots continue to draw life from an unseen source.

How do we deepen those roots?

One way is by remembering. We remember the prayers God has answered, the doors He has opened, the comfort He has given, and the countless times He has carried us when we could not carry ourselves. The more we meditate on His faithfulness in the past, the more confidence we have to trust Him with the future.

When Life Hurts

When life hurts, it is easy to question God and wonder why He is not acting as quickly as we would like. But God’s timing is not neglect. Often, while we are waiting for Him to change our circumstances, He is strengthening our roots. Good things take time to grow, and faith is no exception. If you have recently been disappointed by people, do not let their unfaithfulness convince you that God will fail you too. He never will.

Sink your roots deeper into the river of His faithfulness. You will discover that even during seasons of drought, He is enough.

“Thus says the Lord, ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in and relies on mankind… Blessed with spiritual security is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord… For he will be like a tree planted by the waters, that spreads out its roots by the river.’” Jeremiah 17:5–8 AMP

Prayer

God, You know the wounds left by people I trusted. Help me learn from those experiences without allowing bitterness or fear to control my heart. Teach me to place my deepest trust in You. When I cannot see what You are doing, remind me of the prayers You have answered, the doors You have opened, and the times You carried me. Strengthen my roots while I wait. Help me draw life from Your faithfulness, even when the heat comes and everything around me feels dry. Thank You for being trustworthy, constant, and enough. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Poetry