Building Trust Through Incremental Acts of Vulnerability
Trust, in a theological sense, often involves a confident reliance on God's character and promises, even in the face of uncertainty or adversity [1, 4]. This reliance is not merely an intellectual assent but an active appropriation and confidence in divine faithfulness [4].
The concept of trust is deeply rooted in biblical narratives and theological reflection. For instance, the psalmist, despite experiencing distress, recalls a foundational trust in God established from infancy, stating, "didst make me hope" or "made me secure" [1]. This suggests that trust can be cultivated through past experiences of divine aid, which then informs future hope [1].
The apostle Paul, in Romans, connects suffering and patience to the development of experience, which in turn strengthens hope [2]. Tribulations, when endured with patience, lead to an enlarged understanding of God's love, faithfulness, and power, as well as an awareness of one's own frailty [2]. This process of experience, gained through adversity, contributes to a more abundant and increasing hope [2].
However, the development of trust is not without its challenges. Human hearts are naturally prone to unbelief, and individuals face numerous temptations that can undermine confidence [3]. Conscience, burdened by sin, can also lead to doubt, self-accusation, and inner turmoil [3]. Augustine of Hippo, in his Confessions, speaks of casting himself without reservation upon the love of close and intimate friends, finding rest there when "chafed and wearied by the scandals of this world" [8]. This highlights a human need for secure relationships, which can mirror or inform the trust placed in God.
Theological traditions emphasize different facets of trust. For instance, scholastic theology, as seen in Aquinas's Summa Theologica, discusses the concept of shamefacedness in relation to reproach and honor [5]. While not directly about trust, it touches on the human sensitivity to the judgment of others, particularly those closely connected [5]. This sensitivity can influence vulnerability, which is often a prerequisite for building trust in human relationships.
In the context of spiritual growth, Augustine also discusses the weariness that can arise in teaching or learning spiritual truths, particularly when the language or style is not engaging [6, 7]. He suggests that if the mind remains focused on the truth of the facts, any offense taken from the language can be overcome [7]. This implies that a foundational commitment to truth can help sustain engagement and, by extension, trust in the message being conveyed.
The development of trust, whether in human relationships or in one's relationship with God, often involves a willingness to be vulnerable. This vulnerability can be incremental, building upon past experiences of reliability and faithfulness. When individuals are willing to acknowledge their weaknesses and rely on the strength or support of another, trust can deepen. This is particularly evident in the Christian understanding of faith, which Charles Hodge describes as an act of appropriation and confidence in God's promises, especially for those oppressed by a sense of sin [4]. Such faith inherently involves feelings of reverence, love, and gratitude, demonstrating a profound trust in divine deliverance [4].
Sources
- Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 22:9: Though ironically spoken, the exhortation to trust was well founded on his previous experience of divine aid, the special illustration of which is drawn from the period of helpless infancy. didst make me hope--literally, "made me secure."”
- Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 5:4: And patience experience,.... As tribulations tend to exercise and increase patience, so patience being exercised and increased, enlarges the saints' stock and fund of experience; of the love and grace of God communicated to them at such seasons; of his faithfulness in fulfilling his promises; of his power in supporting them; and of their own frailty and weakness; and so are taught humility, thankfulness, and resignation to the will of God: and experience, hope; hope is a gift of God's grace, and is implanted in regeneration, but abounds, increases, and becomes more s”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 57: 3:18 ). In such degrees of ignorance much doubt and trembling is necessarily implied, especially seeing that our heart is by its own natural bias prone to unbelief. To this we must add the temptations which, various in kind and infinite in number, are ever and anon violently assailing us. In particular, conscience itself, burdened with an incumbent load of sins, at one time complains and groans, at another accuses itself; at one time murmurs in secret, at another openly rebels. Therefore, whether adverse circumstances betoken the w”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 13: Spirit which reveals his glory and his love, without the feelings of reverence, love, and trust mingling with the act and constituting its character. Nor is it possible that a soul oppressed with a sense of sin should receive the promise of deliverance from its guilt and power, without any feeling of gratitude and confidence. The act of faith in such a promise is in its nature an act of appropriation and confidence. 2. We accordingly find that in many cases in the Bible the word trust is used instead of faith. The same act or state of min”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of Shamefacedness, Art. 3: Article: Whether man is more shamefaced of those who are more closely connected with him? I answer that, Since reproach is opposed to honor, just as honor denotes attestation to someone's excellence, especially the excellence which is according to virtue, so too reproach, the fear of which is shamefacedness, denotes attestation to a person's defect, especially that which results from sin. Hence the more weighty a person's attestation is considered to be, the more does he make another person”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — CHAP. 10.--OF THE ATTAINMENT OF CHEERFULNESS IN THE DUTY OF CATECHISING, AND OF VARIOUS CAUSES PRODUCING WEARINESS IN THE CATECHUMEN, (part 2): one hand, whether such terms occur to us as adequately represent the sense, and on the other, whether they be accepted in such 293 a manner as to profit; or yet again, from the consideration that, in consequence of their being now thoroughly familiar to ourselves, and no longer necessary to our own advancement, it becomes irksome to us to be recurring very frequently to those matters which are urged upon t”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — CHAP. 11.--OF THE REMEDY FOR THE SECOND (part 1): SOURCE OF WEARINESS. 16. If, however, it is rather our desire to read or hear such things as are already prepared for our use and expressed in a superior style, and if the consequence is that we feel it irksome to put together, at the time and with an uncertain issue, the terms of discourse on our own side, then, provided only that our mind does not wander off from the truth of the facts themselves, it is an easy matter for the hearer, if he is offended by anything in our language, to come to see i”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — CHAP. III. -- 6. I am not acquainted with the writings speaking injuriously of you, which you tell me have come into Africa.. I have, however, received the reply to these which you have been pleased t (part 4): in the manner in which I ought: for I do not wonder that we are less thoroughly known to each other than we are to our most close and intimate friends. Upon the love of such friends I readily cast myself without reservation, especially when chafed and wearied by the scandals of this world; and in their love I rest without any disturbing ca”