Trust is a choice based on relationship

When should you choose to trust and obey God?
“… (God) did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly” 2 Peter 2:5

Noah, that man his neighbors most likely called a “crazy preacher” who spent over 100 years building a barge in his driveway,  all the time preaching righteousness to people who only wanted to follow their own desires and ignore God. When did Noah decide to trust and obey God? Certainly when he started to built the ark. Imagine building a boat with no water nearby and most likely no such thing yet as rain or floods. But Noah heard from God and when He did, he began to build.
Or what about a prostitute named Rahab who protected the spies and saved her family from death by trusting a God who revealed himself to her only in stories she had heard about Him. She said, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us… For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites…whom you utterly destroyed. And when we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath”. Joshua 2:9-11
Rahab trusted God to protect her and hid the spies at the risk of her life. When the walls fell down, her home in the wall was unharmed because she obeyed. Her obedience also led to her being in the line of Jesus as she became the mother of Boaz who married Ruth. (Matthew 1:5-6)
Noah, a preacher of righteousness got to know God growing up evidently, but when God gave him a job to go with his message, He started building. Likely he had questions but he listened to God’s warning of coming destruction, obeyed and was protected through the flood. Rahab heard about God from travelers who stopped and stayed with her most likely, but once she heard she put her trust in Him. She put out the sign of the scarlet thread and she was protected through the battle of Jericho.
No matter your growth spiritually now, the time for you to put your trust in God is as soon as you realize who He is and your need for Him; now is the right time if you haven’t already.

Don’t wait for a flood or a battle and hope for the best, trust God now. If you are a child of God having problems trusting, look closer at God your Father and His unconditional love. Study your Bible and get to know Him as you read and pray. It is difficult at times to trust someone you do know and really difficult to trust someone you don’t know, so get to know Him. Know Him more intimately and understand His character, His mercy and grace. See His holiness so you can see how unholy you are, how sinful apart from the righteousness of Jesus, and you can appreciate what it took for God to forgive you. Then trusting the God that did forgive you by His grace becomes easier.
As you appreciate the grace shown you, the love you have for God can grow and be a driving force that puts you where God can and will use you. Jesus promised that if we love Him we will obey Him (John 14:15 “if you love Me, you will keep my commandments”) so get to know and love Him more. Then the trust and obedience will follow.

When is the best time? If you haven’t already, trust Him for salvation now. If you have trusted Him for salvation, then trust Him to guide you day to day as you grow in your love for Him and trust and obedience of Him. Make that commitment today; choose to step out in faithful obedience and trust God in the place you are in your relationship with Him!