I've spent most of this week debating whether or not the words faith and trust can be used interchangeably. I've also been in search of what others think and how they define or separate the two. The example I ask them to ponder is if we didn't know each other and you were sitting next to me at a bus stop and you suddenly had to get up and leave for a few minutes and you ask me to watch your backpack, bag, laptop, or whatever would you have faith or trust that I wouldn't take it and run.
In every case there was good conversation about what justifies faith and what justifies trust. Most had a difficult time separating the two at first but as time went on they seemed to have come to a decision, albeit an unsure one.
The dictionary defines faith as confidence or trust in a person or thing. It defines trust as reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, etc of a person or thing. A closer look has me noting the word trust in the definition of faith and the word faith missing from the definition of trust. I love dictionaries!
In my conversations with others I had one person who gave a very good explanation to me. He said "Let's say we're at the same bus stop every week, and every week I ask you to watch my things and every week you take it. Yet, I keep asking you anyway. Over time I want to trust you, but I won't be able to, but I've never lost faith because I keep asking."
Faith requires no relationship, it is a personal thing that can only come from within one's self. Trust starts out as faith and develops over time as the relationship grows. Trust, therefore, requires input from others to become reality.
I need to keep letting this thought swim around in my head and find its way into my heart. I have faith it'll happen and when it does I trust the answer I'm given will be the right one for me.
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