Earning Trust

To be trusted, we must first learn what it is to trust somebody else. We must feel the confidence in their words and promises. Who better to trust, and learn trust from, than our Heavenly Father?

Trusting that God will guide us requires a great deal of faith. And faith is developed over time through obedience and our best effort. As we develop faith, the Lord blesses us, and we trust that He will take care of us—but we also prove that we can be trusted. Think of what He has entrusted you with: your family, families you home or visit teach, living His doctrine, and of course your job. Now, when you take care of these well, trust builds, blessings are magnified, and understanding grows.

Trust is an eternal principle. It applies in all aspects of our lives. As we do the things that show the Lord can trust us, we improve at work. The principles are the same:

Now, apply those skills as if you were working for the Lord. Would you be more motivated? If you are trying to improve your situation by learning new skills or attending classes, would you also use those same skills to gain more trust in yourself?

President Henry B. Eyring said:

When we learn to trust in the Lord, we also learn to become more trustworthy in our work and family relationships. When we listen and learn at work, become more reliable, keep our promises, and be consistent, not only do our coworkers trust us but the Lord blesses us.

Stephen R. Covey said:

Competence is the skills we have talked about. Character is self-confidence in your abilities and self-control of your emotions. Confidence builds with competence. As you get better at trust-building skills, your confidence grows.

All of these things take time to become habits. Some will come naturally; some will not. And sometimes we need a little personality adjustment—not dramatic, like from introvert to extrovert, but everybody can develop better interpersonal skills, better communication skills, and a little more patience. As we learn to trust our own abilities and put our trust in the Lord, we will be able to learn the things that will improve our lives.

Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explains:

Success in every aspect of our lives begins with trust.

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