INTRODUCTION

We all make decisions on a regular basis about whether or not to trust other people, organizations, situations, God, and even ourselves. Trust is truly one of the fundamental issues of human life. Do we trust the valet at the restaurant to park our car? Do we trust a coworker to complete an important task for us on schedule? Do we trust the driver behind us to apply his brakes in time to avoid a rear-end collision? Daily, in countless situations, we trust someone to follow societal rules or policies where our very well-being depends upon it.

But in other situations—mostly associated with relationships—many people hesitate to place trust in others. Often the stakes are high, especially with regard to hearts and emotions. Most of us have been hurt occasionally, or let down, or disappointed by people close to us and, as a result, have become prudently cautious in the degree of trust we place in others. Once in a while we run across that naive person who seems to trust everyone, and we say to ourselves, “You’ll learn the hard way someday.” And all too often, they do. But such is life—full of disappointment and trouble. Jesus said, “In this life you will have trouble” (see John 16:33), and He was not kidding.

A more serious problem arises when a person has been hurt or disappointed once too often or a little too deeply and is unable to make a normal recovery. The resultant experience takes on colossal proportions and permanently cripples the person’s ability to trust others in similar situations. For example, if a woman has been hurt deeply enough, she may be traumatized into being unable to trust others in any relational situation thereafter. And, when her ability to trust becomes damaged to that degree, her likelihood of achieving a fulfilling life decreases dramatically.

This book will explain the operation of your ability to trust; illuminate precisely what goes wrong when you are deeply hurt; and prescribe the spiritual medicine that—combined with earnest prayer, courage, and the power of God—will enable you to begin to trust again. If you just can’t trust other people anymore, I urge you to read this short book and lay hold of the hope that God offers you.

We would never downplay the depth of your pain nor insist that the road back to emotional health is an easy one, but there is a road and many have traveled it with no regrets. Within these pages you’ll find a mixture of anecdotes, profiles, common sense and, most importantly, the Word of God. Combined they will help you understand what went wrong in your life and provide the empowerment you need to overcome what we believe is the greatest practical enemy of your emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being: the inability to trust.

—Ed Delph

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