The Perfect Beginning

When Trust Was Broken

In Eden, trust was the heartbeat of life. Adam and Eve walked with God each day, their steps unhurried, their hearts open. Nothing came between them: no shame, no fear, no secrets. Trust bound them to God, to each other, and to themselves.

And then came the serpent’s whisper, curling around God’s words like smoke:

“Did God really say…?”

It sounded small, almost harmless, but suspicion took root. Eve looked at the fruit God had set apart. It was beautiful. It promised wisdom. She reached, she tasted, and Adam followed. In that moment, trust fractured. The openness they had known gave way to hiding. Closeness became distance. Where trust had thrived, fear and doubt now grew.

Genesis 3 reminds us that trust is not abstract; it is a tangible reality. It shapes every connection. When it falters with God, it ripples into our relationships with others and even into how we see ourselves.

Centuries later, Amy Carmichael stepped into a world broken by betrayal and fear. In southern India, she found children abandoned by their parents, young girls sold into temple slavery, lives marked by pain and loss. She could have turned away, choosing safety over sacrifice. But she trusted God’s voice above her fear. That trust carried her into the brokenness, where she became “Amma”, mother to hundreds of children.

Her trust restored theirs. Children who had known only abandonment learned to rest in safety, and girls who had been used and discarded discovered dignity and belonging. At Dohnavur, Amy did more than offer shelter; she rebuilt trust in hearts that had been taught never to trust again. Her life showed that when we choose to trust God, He can use us to restore trust and confidence in others.

I see that same thread in smaller ways in my own story. As a young girl, I left home to study in another city. My parents left me at a dormitory full of strangers. I felt shy, out of place, and uncertain. Then a girl came to me and started talking. Within hours, I trusted her with my story, my fears, even my dreams.

Later that day, at the chapel, she sat with the seniors. When I approached, she acted as though she barely knew me. The sting of that moment was sharp. Trust, once so quickly given, felt so broken so soon.

Yet we reconciled. That awkward beginning grew into a lasting friendship. What began with hurt was reshaped by grace, and trust, once fragile, grew resilient.

From Eden to Amy Carmichael’s work in India, to a dormitory friendship, the lesson is clear: trust is delicate. It can break quickly, but it can also be rebuilt. And often, in the rebuilding, it becomes stronger than before.

When Adam and Eve hid, God’s first words were, “Where are you?” He already knew, yet He came looking. He sought restoration. And He does the same with us. Even when trust falters in our families, friendships, and faith, God draws near, inviting us back into a relationship with Him and with one another.

Trust may fail. But it does not have to be the end of the story. In God’s hands, broken trust can be mended, and fractured relationships can be made whole again.

Reflection Question:

How do your choices impact your relationships with others?

Is there an area where you need to rebuild trust with God or with people?

Prayer:

Lord, guide me to trust You and to make choices that honour You. Help me build trust with others and seek forgiveness where I have failed. Thank you for always coming to find me, even when I hide. Amen.