Perhaps you have heard the story of the tightrope walker who was crossing Niagara Falls. After he had held the crowds spellbound with his daring, he asked, “How many of you believe I could cross the tightrope again, this time pushing a wheelbarrow with someone riding in it?”

The crowds applauded. They were sure he could do it. But then he said, “Who will volunteer to ride the wheelbarrow?”

There was a vast silence. The audience had just been reminded of the vital difference between belief and trust! It’s one thing to believe that the wheelbarrow would make it safely across the chasm. It’s quite another thing to put your own life on the line.

James 2:19 draws the same distinction:

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” - James 2:19

In order to have saving faith, you need more than simple mental assent. Even the devils have that much, and they tremble as a result. The devils believe-but they don’t trust. And that is the crucial difference.

Three words describe the dependent relationship of the Christian to God: faith, belief, and trust.

In modern usage, belief often carries with it the idea of only a mental assent. Faith is sometimes confused with positive thinking. But the word trust probably comes the closest to describing the biblical dependence upon God. Wherever you find the word belief or faith in Scripture, you can substitute the word trust, and perhaps understand a new dimension to familiar words. For instance,

“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:31),

would read, “Trust the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”

Selected Messages, book 1, page 389, says,

“Faith includes not only belief but trust.”

And Education, page 253:

“Faith is trusting God.”

Faith is depending upon Another. It is probably the closest word to surrender to be found in the Bible, for it carries with it the idea of giving up your life into God’s control.

High achievers don’t like the idea of dependence. It can be frightening to think of placing yourself under the control of another. It can be a blow to human pride and self-sufficiency to allow someone else to call the shots. But “without faith it is impossible to please him” (Hebrews 11:6)

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” - Hebrews 11:6

-or, “without trust it is impossible to please him.”

Only when we give up our own will and way, and trust wholly in His power to save, can God accomplish His purpose in our lives.

As children bring their broken toys With tears, for us to mend, I brought my broken dreams to God Because He was my Friend. But then, instead of leaving Him In peace, to work alone I stayed around and tried to help Through ways that were my own. At last I snatched them back and cried, “How can you be so slow?” “My child,” He said, “What could I do? You never did let go.”

Genuine faith, or trust, lets go. It depends completely. It is vulnerable. Human reasoning and understanding and logic can only go so far, and then we must step out into that which cannot be proved except by experience. Theologians have sometimes referred to this truth as the “leap of faith.”

But trust in God is not a leap in the dark. He has given us enough evidence on which to base our trust in Him.

In Matthew 15 we find the story of the Syro-Phoenician woman. She came seeking Jesus, who had walked 50 miles out of His way so that her search would be rewarded. To find Him walking down the dusty roads of her own country must have encouraged her to believe. But when she brought her request to Him, He appeared to ignore her. She persisted, and He seemed to insult her.

“Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.” - Matthew 15:21-28

Yet there was enough evidence in His look and tone and manner to encourage her to trust Him in spite of appearances, and she persisted until her faith was rewarded. The answer came as she continued to depend upon Him.