Practicing Trust in God's Character and Will in Uncertainty

Sources

1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Steadfastness — Exhibited by God in all his purposes and ways -- Nu 23:19; Da 6:26; Jas 1:17. Commanded -- Php 4:1; 2Th 2:15; Jas 1:6-8. Godliness necessary to -- Job 11:13-15. Secured by The power of God. -- Ps 55:22; 62:2; 1Pe 1:5; Jude 1:24. The presence of God. -- Ps 16:8. Trust in God. -- Ps 26:1. The intercession of Christ. -- Lu 22:31,32. A characteristic of saints -- Job 17:9; Joh 8:31. Should be manifested In cleaving to God. -- De 10:20; Ac 11:23. In the work of the Lord. -- 1Co 15:58. In continuing in the Apostles' doctrine. -- Ac 2:42. In holding fast our”
2. Psalms “Psalms 37:3 (BSB) — Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.”
3. James “James 1:3 (LITV) — knowing that the proving of your faith works patience.”
4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Faithfulness of God, The — Is part of his character -- Isa 49:7; 1Co 1:9; 1Th 5:24. Declared to be Great. -- La 3:23. Established. -- Ps 89:2. Incomparable. -- Ps 89:8. Unfailing. -- Ps 89:33; 2Ti 2:13. Infinite. -- Ps 36:5. Everlasting. -- Ps 119:90; 146:6. Should be pleaded in prayer -- Ps 143:1. Should be proclaimed -- Ps 40:10; 89:1. Manifested In his counsels. -- Isa 25:1. In afflicting his saints. -- Ps 119:75. In fulfilling his promises. -- 1Ki 8:20; Ps 132:11; Mic 7:20; Heb 10:23. In keeping his covenant. -- De 7:9; Ps 111:5. In executing his judgments. -- Je”
5. Acts “Acts 27:25 (Rotherham) — Wherefore, be of good courage, Sirs; for I believe in God—that, so, it shall be, according as it hath been told me.”
6. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 57: in order to reach it. Nor even when it has reached it does it comprehend what it feels, but persuaded of what it comprehends not, it understands more from mere certainty of persuasion than it could discern of any human matter by its own capacity. Hence it is elegantly described by Paul as ability “to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,” ( Eph. 3:18, 19 ). His object was to intimate, that what our mind embraces by faith is every w”
7. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 21.--IT IS TO BE WONDERED AT THAT MEN SHOULD RATHER TRUST TO THEIR OWN WEAKNESS THAN TO GOD'S STRENGTH.: Certainly, when the apostle says, "Therefore it is of faith that the promise may be sure according to grace,"(2) I marvel that men would rather entrust themselves to their own weakness, than to the strength of God's promise. But sayest thou, God's will concerning myself is to me uncertain? What then? Is thine own will concerning thyself certain to thee? and dost thou not fear,--"Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall"?(7) Sinc”
8. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 57: and so abused the goodness of God to their own destruction. But though you should hold that the words were addressed to elect believers, no inconsistency will follow. It is one thing, in order to prevent believers from indulging vain confidence, to repress the temerity which, from the remains of the flesh, sometimes gains upon them, and it is another thing to strike terror into their consciences, and prevent them from feeling secure in the mercy of God. 23. Then, when he bids us work out our salvation with fear and trembling, all h”
9. Catechism of the Catholic Church (Catholic) “Catechism of the Catholic Church, CHAPTER THREE (part 4): that believing is an authentically human act. Trusting in God and cleaving to the truths he has revealed is contrary neither to human freedom nor to human reason. Even in human relations it is not contrary to our dignity to believe what other persons tell us about themselves and their intentions, or to trust their promises (for example, when a man and a woman marry) to share a communion of life with one another. If this is so, still less is it contrary to our dignity to "yield by faith the full submission of... intellect and will to God”
10. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 57: from the experience of believers, who, in recognizing the grace of God toward them, not only feel disquietude (this often happens), but sometimes tremble, overcome with terror, 290 290 As to the imperfection, strengthening, and increase of faith, see Book 4. chap. 4 sec. 7, 8. so violent are the temptations which assail their minds. This scarcely seems consistent with certainty of faith. It is necessary to solve this difficulty, in order to maintain the doctrine above laid down. When we say that faith must be certain and secure, we”
11. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 57: hence, feeling conscious of their own weakness, they pray with the Prophet, “Take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouths” ( Psalm 119:43 ). By these words, we are taught that they at times become dumb, as if their faith were overthrown, and yet that they do not withdraw or turn their backs, but persevere in the contest, and by prayer stimulate their sluggishness, so as not to fall into stupor by giving way to it. (See Calv. in Psalm 88:16 ). 18. To make this intelligible, we must return to the distinction 486 between flesh ”
12. James (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on James 1:6: But let him ask in faith,.... Not only in the faith of the divine Being that God is; but in the faith of the promises he has made; and in the faith of his power and faithfulness to perform them; and in the faith of this, that whatever is asked, according to the will of God, and is for his glory, and his people's good, shall be given. Nothing wavering; about the thing asked for, whether it is right or no to ask for it; for that should be settled before it is asked for; nor about the power of God to do it; nor about his will, in things he has declared he will do; nor ab”
13. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 57: sufficient to believe that God is true, and cannot lie or deceive, unless you feel firmly persuaded that every word which him is sacred, inviolable truth. 7. But since the heart of man is not brought to faith by every word of God, we must still consider what it is that faith properly has respect to in the word. The declaration of God to Adam was, “Thou shalt surely die,” ( Gen. 2:17 ); and to Cain, “The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground,” ( Gen. 4:10 ); but these, so far from being fitted to establish fait”
14. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 63: promise; while supported by his hand, they endure patiently. This they could never do by their own strength. Patience, therefore, gives the saints an experimental proof that God in reality furnishes the aid which he has promised whenever there is need. Hence also their faith is confirmed, for it were very ungrateful not to expect that in future the truth of God will be, as they have already found it, firm and constant. We now see how many advantages are at once produced by the cross. Overturning the overweening opinion we form of o”
15. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 57: and curb them by the bridle of modesty, while yet fighting bravely. And it is plain, from the context, that this was the Apostle’s meaning, since he states, as the ground of fear and trembling, that it is God who worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure. In the same sense must we understand the words of the Prophet, “The children of Israel” “shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days,” ( Hos. 3:5 ). For not only does piety beget reverence to God, but the sweet attractiveness of grace inspires a man, though ”
16. 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”