The 3-Legged Stool of Trust

The 3-Legged Stool of Trust

by Grace

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”
-Psalm 20:7

3 Truths to Sit On

What do you turn to when life gets difficult? God designed humans to thrive by trusting in Him
(Jeremiah 17:7-8), but we often seek refuge in other things. Although we may not rely on horses and chariots today, whatever we depend on during life’s storms reveals what we trust in. This could be anything from escape, other people, or even our own abilities. Wholeheartedly trusting God is hard, especially when the path is clouded with confusion, hardship, and pain. Jerry Bridges compares trusting God to sitting on a three-legged stool. Each “leg” represents an essential truth about God’s character:
 God’s sovereignty
 God’s wisdom
 God’s love

If one leg is overemphasized, or even missing, the stool will fall over. Therefore, what you
believe about each of these truths will shape the way you handle life’s storms.

Leg #1: God’s Sovereignty

God is in control of all events in the universe (Psalm 135:6). This is easier to accept for things
that we deem “good” rather than “bad.” However, in his book Trusting God, Bridges suggests
that a God who is only in control over “good” events is not fully trustworthy (35). If He is loving
and wise, but not completely in control, then He is powerless to accomplish His will. It would be pointless to trust Him with anything, let alone our lives! This doesn’t imply that God is the
source of evil. Rather, He only permits things to happen that will be used for our good (Romans 8:28), to accomplish His greater plans (Acts 4:27-28), or to bring Himself glory (Jeremiah 14:22).

Leg #2: God’s Wisdom

God is so wise that our limited minds cannot fully grasp the depths of His wisdom (Romans
11:33). He knows the best way to accomplish His goals, even when we can’t understand what He is doing. Perhaps we’d want God to prioritize things like our comfort, but the Bible is clear that God is most interested in His glory and making us look more like Christ. He knows “what
combination of good and bad circumstances will bring us more and more into sharing His
holiness” (127). We may choose an easy, pain-free life for ourselves, but God’s ways are higher
than ours, and He calls us to trust in His infinite wisdom (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Leg #3: God’s Love

God is love, and His love is revealed through Jesus, who came into the world to give us life (1
John 4:8-10). However, in trials, it’s often easier to accept God’s sovereignty than His love.
Bridges states, “We mistakenly look for tokens of God’s love in happiness; however, God
disciplines with our good in mind, and does not take delight in having us suffer needlessly
(164).” Our trials are not punishment; instead, they refine us to trust in God’s love more fully.

The greatest example of God’s love was shown at the cross, where Jesus endured the worst
suffering imaginable to pay the price for our sins (Romans 5:8). Nothing can separate us from
His love, and God uses even the most difficult of circumstances to reveal that to us (Romans
8:37-39).

What Legs are you Sitting On?

I invite you to consider: what do you believe about God, and how will that help you to persevere through trials? Which “legs” on your stool need to be strengthened? Or perhaps God is calling you to turn from leaning on a false leg (Psalm 62:10). If you haven’t placed your trust in God yet, will you hope in Him as your rock and salvation (Psalm 62:5-7)? He is worthy of our trust!

Recommended resources for further reading:
Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts by Jerry Bridges
When God Weeps: Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty by Joni Eareckson Tada and
Steven Estes

About the author:

Grace is a science teacher at Paideia Classical Christian School in Tampa, Florida. She is currently working on getting her Master’s in Biblical Counseling at the Master’s University through their distance program. She loves growing together with others in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. She and her husband are members of Grace Bible Church of Tampa and are blessed to serve the Lord there.