Get In the Wheelbarrow
DAY 4 — Thursday, December 4, 2025
When belief meets trust, and God invites us to climb into the wheelbarrow
Scripture
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.— Proverbs 3:5–6 (ESV)
When Belief Meets Trust
Years ago, a legendary tightrope walker decided to attempt something no one had ever done, namely cross Niagara Falls on a wire stretched high above the roaring water below. No safety net. No second chances. Just skill, balance, and nerves of steel.
Thousands gathered to watch. As he stepped onto the wire, the crowd held its breath. Step by step, he made his way across arms extended, body perfectly balanced, wind pushing against him. When his feet touched solid ground on the other side, the crowd exploded in applause, cheers echoing across the falls.
Breathing hard but smiling, he turned to the crowd and asked, "How many of you believe I can do it again, but this time pushing a wheelbarrow?"
Hands shot up everywhere. People shouted, "Yes! You can do it!"
Then he locked eyes with one enthusiastic man in the front row and said, "Wonderful. Then you get in the wheelbarrow."
Silence.
Suddenly, belief and trust weren't the same thing anymore.
This moment captures our human struggle with trust, especially when trust stops being theoretical and starts requiring something from us. It's easy to applaud the idea of trusting God. It's another thing entirely to put our full weight on Him when the risk is real, when the outcome is uncertain, when letting go means we're no longer in control.
As we move toward Giving Sunday, God isn't just asking us to believe in Him. He's inviting us to trust Him, to climb into the wheelbarrow. And here's the truth: giving is one of the clearest spiritual mirrors of trust. It reveals what we really believe about God's character, His provision, and His faithfulness.
What Trust Actually Looks Like
Proverbs 3:5–6 is one of those passages we've quoted so often we might miss how radical it actually is. Solomon breaks down trust into three powerful movements:
Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart
Trust isn't just mental agreement, instead it's full-bodied, all-in surrender. The Hebrew word for "trust" (bāṭaḥ) literally means to lie helpless, face down. It's the picture of someone who has stopped trying to hold themselves up and instead rests completely on someone else's strength. That's what God is asking for, not partial trust, not conditional trust, but all-your-heart trust.
Don't lean on your own understanding
Leaning is about dependence where you rest your weight. God is saying, "Don't put your weight on your own logic, your own calculations, your own limited perspective." Our understanding has blind spots. Our reasoning has limits. But God's wisdom? Limitless. His perspective? Perfect. His timing? Always right.
Acknowledge Him in ALL your ways
To acknowledge God means to recognize Him, consult Him, invite Him into the decision-making process. It's saying, "God, You have access to every corner of my life, my dreams, my bank account, my plans, my future, my giving."
And here's the promise that follows:
"He will make straight your paths."
When you trust Him, God Himself steps in to direct you, guide you, clear obstacles, and align your steps. He makes smooth our paths. Trust unlocks divine intervention. Obedience opens doors that hustle, strategy, and willpower never could.
Where the Rubber Meets the Road
If we're honest, there's probably no area where trust gets tested more than when it comes to our money. The world trains us to hold tight, save aggressively, protect what we have, and never give away what we might need later. Culture screams: "You're on your own. Nobody's coming to rescue you. Guard your resources."
But Scripture whispers something completely different:
"I trust God more than my bank account.""I trust God more than my fears about tomorrow.""I trust God more than my own understanding of what I need."
When we give, especially when it feels sacrificial, when it stretches us, when it requires faith we're making a declaration. We're saying, "God, I believe You'll take care of me. I believe You see me. I believe Your provision is greater than my paycheck."
Giving isn't really about what leaves our hands. It's about what we're willing to place into God's hands.
As Giving Sunday approaches, this moment is calling us to step beyond calculation and into confidence. Beyond control and into surrender. Beyond what makes sense on a spreadsheet and into what honors the God who has never failed us.
The Mirror Never Lies
Giving reveals what we truly trust.
Your Next Step
Here's what I want you to do today: make a list of three specific ways God has proven Himself trustworthy in your life over the past year.
Think about it:
Spiritually
How has He drawn you closer? Answered a prayer? Shifted your perspective?
Personally
How has He shown up in your relationships, your health, your peace of mind?
Financially
How has He provided when things were tight? Opened a door? Made a way?
Write them down. Don't rush it. Let those memories strengthen your faith. Let them remind you: God has always been faithful. He's not going to stop now.
Then, as you prepare your gift for Giving Sunday, let those reminders fuel your trust.
Let's Pray Together
Lord, I'm asking You to deepen my trust in You—not just in theory, but in practice. Help me release every fear, every doubt, every need to control outcomes. Teach me to lean fully on Your wisdom, Your provision, and Your perfect faithfulness. As I prepare for Giving Sunday, let my trust be visible in my obedience. Let my giving be an act of worship that says, "God, I trust You with everything." Amen.