Trusting God vs. Self-Reliance: Finding Your True Path

York St. Christian Church Muskogee
Jun 24
5 min read

In a culture that constantly tells us to "believe in yourself" and "trust your instincts," we often find ourselves caught in an illusion of self-sufficiency. We're bombarded with messages that glorify independence and self-trust, but Scripture offers a radically different perspective on where our trust should truly lie.

Why is self-reliance so dangerous for believers?

Proverbs 28:26 makes it clear: "Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered." Our culture glorifies self-trust, but Scripture warns that this path leads to deception. We often define success by our feelings, achievements, and public opinions—how many likes we get on social media, how many awards we receive, how much praise comes our way.

This mindset is dangerous because it creates a spiritual barrier between us and God. Thinking "I can do it on my own" isn't just a character flaw—it's a form of pride that separates us from the One who created us to depend on Him.

Can we really fix ourselves?

Many people believe they can fix their own lives. They think, "I'll go to church once I get my life together" or "I can overcome this sin if I just try harder." This is pure arrogance. The truth is there is nothing we can do to fix our lives—our righteousness comes solely from what Christ has done for us.

Imagine standing before God and saying, "I was a good person. I did good things. I tried really hard. I went to church on Sundays." This will never be enough. Our best efforts will never make us righteous before God.

Where did this self-sufficiency mindset begin?

It all began in the Garden of Eden. The original sin wasn't just disobedience—it was pride. "I can be like God. I can know what He knows." It was thinking, "I'm not good enough as God made me. I need to make myself better."

We're still facing the same sin today when we think we're not good enough and need to improve ourselves through our own efforts. Self-sufficiency is often just self-idolatry in disguise—we make ourselves our own god.

How does fear play into our lack of trust?

Fear tells us, "If I need someone, I will be disappointed." This keeps us from sharing our burdens with others, even though we're called to do so as the body of Christ. Like stubborn toddlers, we insist, "I can do it myself" while spilling juice everywhere.

Just as a loving father tries to protect his children from harm, our heavenly Father wants to protect us. Yet we continue to ignore His wisdom, thinking we can handle situations on our own when there's nothing we can truly do apart from Him.

What does complete trust in God look like?

Proverbs 3:5 instructs us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." This means believing God's Word completely—believing He says what He means and will do what He says He will do.

Jesus said in John 15:5, "Apart from me you can do nothing." Not less, not just a little bit—nothing. We are designed to be branches connected to the vine, not to be the vine itself. When we think we're the vine, we're actually just withering branches.

True trust requires complete surrender—not just of some parts of our lives, but all of them. This includes giving God full access to our depression, fear, anxiety, anger, and ambitions. He already sees these things, but He wants us to surrender them willingly.

Why can't we trust our own understanding?

Proverbs 3:5-6 continues, "and lean not on your own understanding." Our understanding is limited to what we see, but God sees the complete picture He's painting in our lives.

Proverbs 21:2 reminds us that "Every man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart." Our hearts are deceptive—Jeremiah 17:9 calls the heart "deceitful above all things." Self-reliance says, "I got this," but God says, "Without me, you can do nothing."

How do we acknowledge God in all our ways?

The key question is: Is God being glorified in the mundane things of your life? Is He glorified when you're cooking, driving, or dealing with difficult people?

We need to invite God into every circumstance of our life. Honesty is crucial—it's okay to tell God how we feel because He already knows. But we need to be rooted in Him, not just moved by our emotions, which often lie to us.

Like a deeply rooted tree that can withstand strong winds, we need to be firmly planted in Christ. Only then can we weather the storms of life without being uprooted.

What does God promise when we trust Him?

God promises to "make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:6). This doesn't mean easy paths—we will suffer just as Christ suffered. But straight paths represent clarity and purpose.

The prosperity gospel that promises only good things isn't biblical. We will face the effects of sin in this fallen world. But in Christ, even difficult paths are good because they lead us to our ultimate destination—God Himself.

Are you building on rock or sand?

Matthew 7:24-27 tells the story of the wise and foolish builders. The wise person builds their house on rock (trust in God), while the foolish person builds on sand (trust in self). When storms come—and they will—only the house built on rock will stand.

Proverbs 10:25 assures us, "When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever." If you're in Christ and giving Him all of you, you are established forever.

Life Application

Stop trusting in yourself and start trusting in God fully. Self-confidence may get you through a season, but only God can sustain you for eternity. Sometimes we need to acknowledge, "This is what God's Word says, but this isn't how I feel. Nevertheless, I'm going to believe His Word."

Stop trying to be your own god and surrender to the One who already knows everything about you—your faults and failures included. Believe in God, not in yourself, and let Him direct your paths.

Ask yourself these questions: