In Chapter 1 of Ruthless Trust, author Brennan Manning states that when we yearn for clarity in our circumstances, our ‘hidden agenda’ is an attempt to eliminate the risk inherent in trusting God. The author goes on to delineate what trust is and is not:
1. Trust won’t drive away our confusion, bring light to our darkness, conquer our uncertainty or redeem our situation.
2. Trust won’t bring final clarity during our lifetime on earth.
3. Trust doesn’t calm the chaos, dull our pain, or provide a crutch.
4. Trusting God is the essence of Biblical faith.
Brennan Manning explains with 2 assertions- the first can leave us unchanged, while the second by its very nature brings change:
“The faith that animates the Christian community is less a matter of (1) believing in the existence of God than a (2) practical trust in his loving care under whatever pressure. The stakes here are enormous, for I have not said in my heart, ‘God exists’, until I have said, ‘I trust you.’ ”
In a nutshell, I believe the author is saying this: trusting God is unconditional- no strings of expectation attached.
