Faith and trust are closely related concepts in the Bible that are sometimes used interchangeably. However, there are some key differences between faith and trust that are important to understand.
Faith
The Bible defines faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1 ESV). Faith is confidence and assurance in God and His promises, even when we cannot physically see the fulfillment of those promises. Faith relies on the character and nature of God, not on what we can see with our natural eyes. Faith believes that God will do what He has said He will do, even when circumstances seem to contradict it. True biblical faith always has its object in God and His Word, not in our own understanding or perception of a situation.
The Bible makes it clear that we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Our eternal salvation rests on our faith in Jesus Christ, trusting in His finished work on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. We cannot work our way to heaven – we must have faith in what Jesus has already accomplished for us. Faith in God is foundational to the Christian life. Scripture says, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Everything in the Christian life flows out of faith in God and His promises to us.
Trust
While faith and trust are similar, there are some subtle differences. Trust can be defined as a firm belief in and reliance on the truth, ability, or character of someone or something. Trust is built on relationship – you trust someone because you know their character based on time spent with them. You can have faith in someone you don’t know personally, but trust is usually built through relationship and interaction over time.
The Bible calls us to both trust and have faith in God. Trust is built as we walk with God daily, spend time in His Word, see how He has been faithful to His promises in Scripture, and experience His work in our lives. As our relationship with Him deepens, so does our trust. We learn that God is absolutely faithful, true to His Word, holy and good, merciful and just, and so much more about His character as revealed in Scripture. Who God is causes us to put our complete trust in Him.
While faith believes the truth about God and His Word, trust responds with obedience and action based on who God has revealed Himself to be. Faith grasps God’s promises, while trust surrenders to His will. Faith says “God can be trusted”, while trust actually entrusts oneself to Him. Faith turns God’s promises into affirmations; trust turns God’s affirmations into actions. Faith activates trust.
The Bible gives us many examples of people who trusted in God. Abraham obeyed God’s call to leave his home because he trusted God’s promise to bless him (Genesis 12:1-4). Moses trusted that God would deliver the Israelites from Egypt, though the situation looked impossible (Exodus 14). Daniel trusted God even when he was thrown into the lions’ den for praying to Him, believing God would deliver Him (Daniel 6). Time and again, we see people in Scripture exercising trust in who God is and what He promises to do.
Faith and Trust Working Together
While faith and trust are slightly different, they work closely together in the life of a believer. Trust is built on faith – we come to trust God more through repeated experiences of seeing Him keep His promises and display His faithfulness to us. Our faith then motivates us to deeper surrender and trust. The more we experience God’s faithfulness to us, the more it builds our trust in Him.
In Psalm 37:3-6 (ESV) we read “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” This passage gives us a beautiful picture of the way faith and trust operate together – we are called to trust and have faith in God, depend on Him fully, delight in Him, commit our lives to Him and His will. As we do this, our faith grows stronger and in turn we learn to trust Him more completely with everything in our lives.
Hebrews 11, often called the “Faith Hall of Fame,” provides example after example of people in Scripture whose deep trust in God was rooted in their strong faith in His character and His promises to them. This drove them to obedience and surrender to God’s plan for their lives, no matter how difficult their circumstances were. They staked their lives on their faith in who God is.
Growing in Faith and Trust
Since both faith and trust are so essential for following Christ, believers must constantly be growing in both. Here are some biblical ways to grow stronger in faith and trust:
- Read and study Scripture daily – God’s Word reveals His truth and the promises we can have faith in (Romans 10:17).
- Pray, worship, and fellowship with other believers – these build our relationship with God and strengthen trust.
- Recall past situations where God was faithful and remind yourself of His proven character.
- Step out in faith and obey God even when it feels uncomfortable or impossible. Watch Him provide and strengthen faith.
- Thank God in the midst of trials and trust His goodness and wisdom.
- Surrender self-will to follow His will and plan for your life.
While faith and trust work together, they are distinct concepts. Faith relies on the truth of God’s Word and character, while trust responds through obedience and action. As we walk closely with Christ, faith will grow trust, and greater trust will lead to even bigger steps of faith as we rely more fully on who God is and what He can do. Deepening faith and trust are lifelong processes as we relate to an infinite, all-powerful, and perfectly faithful God.
Faith, Trust, and Salvation
Faith and trust play key roles in our salvation and relationship with God. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). This saving faith humbly acknowledges our need for a Savior, believes that Jesus’ sacrifice paid for our sins once and for all, and surrenders our lives to His lordship. Trust in God also motivates us to repent and obey Christ’s commands after our conversion.
Sanctification – the process of being made holy – also requires deepening trust and faith. As we trust that God is powerful enough and loving enough to change us, we walk by faith in His transforming work in our lives. We trust in His wisdom and timing, even when we wish our sanctification would move faster. We believe His promises to complete the work He began in us (Philippians 1:6).
Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). We must have childlike faith that God is who He says He is, and that He will do what He has promised. As we put our complete trust in Him, walk in obedience to Christ, and see His faithfulness to us each day, our faith and trust are strengthened. This gives Him glory and leads us into greater kingdom purpose.
Trusting God When Life Is Hard
What about when life feels crushingly hard – is it still possible to trust God then? Even when circumstances are radically different than what we expected, prayed for, or thought would honor God, He is still worthy of our trust.
Job suffered immensely, losing his family, possessions, and health. Yet after this, Job replied “Though he slay me, I will hope in him” (Job 13:15). As believers we can trust God’s character even when we cannot understand His plans. We cling to the truth that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
When we feel forgotten, forsaken or abandoned by God, we can echo David’s cry “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” (Psalm 42:9) – while also declaring “But I will put my trust in God”. We can bring our hard questions and pain honestly before God, yet still trust His compassion and wisdom.
God may allow suffering for reasons we can’t grasp, but we know His heart is good because of Christ’s love demonstrated on the cross. So we can trust Him through dark valleys, saying along with Job “I know that my Redeemer lives” (Job 19:25). His presence and promises sustain us even when nothing makes sense.
Trust Is a Choice
Because human perspective is limited, God calls us to trust Him without having all the answers. After asking “why?” and pouring out our pain, we must choose to trust, declare “yet God is good”, and wait faithfully on Him. Habakkuk 3:17-19 models this well:
“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength.”
While emotions may lag, we can affirm the truth that God is worthy of our trust, no matter what. Feelings cannot be trusted as an accurate barometer of reality – only Scripture reveals the truth about God’s character. Our faith may waver, but God never changes. He remains forever faithful and true.
Trusting God with the Future
Not knowing what tomorrow holds often leads to anxiety. But we can calm our hearts by trusting the One who holds our future. Though we cannot control coming events, we know the One who is in control. Jesus assured His disciples “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1). Trusting Christ gives us supernatural peace when facing uncertainty.
When anxieties about provision and security creep in, we can trust God’s promise: “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’…But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:31-33). He knows exactly what we need and will supply it.
Rather than obsessing over the future, we can redeem the time now for His glory. “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” (Proverbs 27:1). We can trust that God holds the future, while faithfully following Christ today.
Let Your Faith Be Bigger Than Your Fear
Walking on the stormy Sea of Galilee required Peter to let his faith in Jesus be bigger than his fear of drowning (Matthew 14:22-33). That is a picture of how we are called to live. We counter fear with deep faith in a God vastly bigger than any problem we face. “The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).
Human logic is limited, but God’s power and sovereignty have no limits. Sarah laughed in unbelief when God promised she would bear a son in old age. “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” God asked (Genesis 18:14). While our faith may falter, His faithfulness never fails. Are we believing Him for things beyond human capability, or letting our faith be confined by earthly limitations?
Walking by faith often feels like jumping off a cliff and trusting the invisible God to catch us. But that is exactly what Scripture challenges us to do: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). His ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). Faith overrules fear and does the impossible, because our God cannot be limited by human constraints.
Trust Produces Rest
In a world of constant change, trusting God anchors our souls and cultivates deep rest. “Those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you” (Psalm 9:10). He is a rock amid life’s storms. Trusting God’s sovereignty and goodness frees us from carrying burdens we were never meant to bear.
Jesus modeled absolute trust in God as He faced torture and death on the cross. “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). Because Christ fully trusted the Father, He could obey Him even unto death. His relationship with the Father was a refuge that sustained Him through horrific suffering. We too can trust God’s heart and find rest for our souls as we walk through this fractured world.
Final Thoughts
Trust and faith work integrally together in the life of a Christian. While subtle differences exist, nurturing both is essential. Through faith, we believe God’s Word is absolutely true and reliable. By trust, we stake our lives on the One who is perfectly trustworthy. When faith wavers, we confess the truth about God’s character. When trusting feels impossible, we cry out to Him for help. He responds with merciful grace to strengthen our faith and trust in Him.
Though the world around us shifts, God remains steady. He calls us to fix our eyes on Christ, not on changing circumstances. As we dwell on Scripture and see His faithfulness proven time and again, our roots go deep in His eternal love and truth. Though storms will come, we do not fear when our lives are anchored in the Rock who cannot be moved – Jesus Christ.