Trusting in God: The key to true prosperity

Feb 14, 2025

If you’ve participated in team-building exercises that were popular 10 to 15 years ago, you might be familiar with an activity called the “Trust Fall.” In this exercise, one person stands on a raised platform, arms crossed over their chest, facing away from the rest of the team. The rest of the group stands below the platform, ready to catch them as they fall backwards. This activity requires a significant amount of trust from the person falling, as they must rely on their team to catch them. If even one person were to step back or not pay attention, they could fall. Though it seems simple, the “Trust Fall” highlights how trust — something so fundamental — can either safeguard or cause harm.

So, what exactly is trust? One definition is a strong belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something. For me, two key elements stand out: firm belief and reliability. If we don’t believe in the reliability of someone or something, our instinct is not to trust. A great example of this is when we make a purchase. These days, no one buys anything without first checking reviews. We only commit to buying a product once we’re convinced of its reliability.

We can partially apply this logic to faith. While faith is rooted in conviction and firm belief, it doesn’t depend solely on public reviews. We can listen to testimonies and witness others’ experiences, but in the end, the decision is ours to make. With products, we typically only become convinced of their reliability after using them over time. Faith, however, is not a product; it’s a commitment. So, even when things get tough, our faith should remain steadfast and unwavering.

The first reading and the Gospel today share a common theme. The Prophet Jeremiah speaks about the blessings and curses that a person will receive, depending on what or who they place their trust in. The word “curse” typically refers to a solemn utterance meant to invoke a supernatural power to bring harm or punishment. However, in Jeremiah’s case, it’s not about causing harm, but rather, the consequences of one’s choices. Trusting in God, he reminds us, helps us grow in virtue and strengthen our spiritual lives. This idea is reflected in the Responsorial Psalm, which tells us that those who trust in the Lord will find happiness. But what does it mean to be truly happy?

The Beatitudes gives us this answer. The passage gives us a series of blessings and curses. Those who put their trust in the Lord will receive a great reward in heaven. This is the true treasure that we need to look out for and not for the things of this world. I think it is fair to say that by now, all of us know that material things do not bring us happiness. After all, once we are gone, we cannot bring physical things with us. This is why the pursuit of happiness is never about material wealth or property, it is about non-tangible things like spiritual health, our mental health etc. This is also echoed in the Responsorial Psalm, those who place their trust in God is like a tree that is planted beside flowing waters that yields its fruits in due season, whose leaves shall never fade and all that they do shall prosper. Notice it says, “all that they do” and not “all that they possess.”

When we put our trust in created things, even in humanity, we are bound to get hurt at some point. However, I need to make this very clear — this does not mean that we do not trust anyone at all. That is not what I am trying to point out here. Solely putting our trust in created things can lead us away from God. While we put our wholehearted trust in God, we also need to learn to trust the people and things around us so long as they assist us in this journey of life. The road that we are travelling on can sometimes be lonely and full of distractions. When we have someone whom we can trust and rely on, the journey will be less difficult.

As we continue this pilgrimage of life, let us continue to put our trust in God, firmly believing that He knows what is best for us and granting it to us when we truly need it. Then, we shall truly be prosperous in everything that we do.