What is real trust and confidence?
It is confidence in Krishna, that “Krishnahas given me life, Krishna has sent me here. so He’ll give me my maintenance. so according to my capacity, let me do something, and through that source, Krishna’s maintenance will come.” (Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.22, 3 August 1974, Vrindavana)
The next item favorable for devotional service is niscaya, confidence. When one becomes disappointed in his service to the supreme Lord, that disappointment must be rejected and replaced with confidence in attaining the ultimate goal, love of Godhead. (Narada-bhakti-sutra 5)
Transcendental qualities are certainly present in the santa-rasa and dasya-rasa, but beyond these there is another quality, confidential attachment, which is pure transcendental love. This loving confidence in the supreme Personality is technically known as visrambha. (Teachings of Lord Caitanya 1)
Devotee’s Confidence in the Lord
When Bhishma and the others on the side of Duryodhana blew their respective conchshells, there was no heart-breaking on the part of the Pandavas. such occurrences are not mentioned, but in this particular verse it is mentioned that the hearts of the sons of Dhrtarastra were shattered by the sounds vibrated by the Pandavas’ party. This is due to the Pandavas and their confidence in Lord Krishna. One who takes shelter of the supreme Lord has nothing to fear, even in the midst of the greatest calamity. (Bhagavad-gita 1.19, purport)
According to Srila Rupa Goswami, a follower of Caitanya Mahaprabhu is jivan-mukta, or a liberated soul. Thus the devotee is not worried about his future destination, for he is confident that the Lord will quickly take him across the ocean of material existence. such confidence is referred to in the Upadesamrta by the word niscayat, meaning firm conviction about the potency of the process of devotional service. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.5.33, purport)
Becoming the Lord’s trustworthy servant
The secret of success in understanding the intricacies of knowledge of the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, is the causeless mercy of the Lord. Even in the material world, the father of many sons discloses the secret of his position to the pet sons. The father discloses the confidence unto the son whom he thinks worthy. An important man in the social order can be known by his mercy only. similarly, one must be very dear to the Lord in order to know the Lord. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.9.32, purport)
Patience and Confidence
Sri Rupa Goswami also confirms that one should be very enthusiastic and execute devotional service with patience and confidence. Patience is necessary for developing the confidence that “Krishna will certainly accept me because I am engaging in devotional service.” One has only to execute service according to the rules and regulations to insure success. -Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.29.16, purport
Developing Confidence
Initially, one must develop confidence by hearing the science of devotion from a qualified spiritual master. Then, as he associates with devotees and tries to adopt the means instructed by the spiritual master in his own life, his misgivings and other obstacles are vanquished by his execution of devotional service. (Caitanya-caritamrta. Adi 1.60)
Secret of success
If a sincere devotee renders service to the Lord or to the archa-vigraha, the form of the Lord, all his activities prove successful because the Lord is present within his heart and understands his sincerity. Thus if a devotee, with all confidence, goes on discharging the prescribed duties of devotional service, he will ultimately attain success. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.30.29, purport)
A devotee, therefore, should execute his devotional services with full energy, endurance, and confidence. He should perform his scheduled duties, he should be pure in heart, and he should serve in association with devotees. All six of these items will lead the devotee to the path of success. (Light Of Bhagavata 43)
So one must have confidence that “Because I am following the standard method, so my spiritual life will really be perfected.” We must have this confidence. And that is a fact. Utsahat, first enthusiasm; second, patience; and then third, with confidence, niscayat. (Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 2.46-47 New York, 28 March 1966)
Misplaced Confidence
All the learned scholars have given their opinion. The mind is by nature very restless, and one should not make friends with it. If we place full confidence in the mind, it may cheat us at any moment. Even Lord siva became agitated upon seeing the Mohini form of Lord Krishna, and saubhari Muni also fell down from the mature stage of yogic perfection. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.6.3)
Betrayal of Confidence
One who betrays the confidence of a living entity who takes shelter of him in good faith, whether that living entity be a human being or an animal, is extremely sinful. Because such betrayals now go unpunished by the government, all of human society is terribly contaminated. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.5-6, purport)
Symptom of Confidence
The word sraddhavan (faithful) means understanding Krishna to be the summum bonum-the eternal truth and absolute transcendence. If one has full faith in Krishna and confidence in Him, one becomes eligible to discharge devotional service confidentially. According to one’s faith, one is a topmost, intermediate or inferior devotee. (Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 22.64)
Advaita Acarya had confidence in the sastric evidence and did not care about social customs. The Krishna consciousness movement, therefore, is a cultural movement that does not care about local social conventions. Following in the footsteps of sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Advaita Acarya, we can accept a devotee from any part of the world and recognize him as a brahmana as soon as he is qualified due to following the principles of Vaishnava behavior. (Caitanya-caritamrta, antya 3.221)
God cannot be partial. Everyone is God’s son, so how can God favor one son above another? That is not possible. But human beings discriminate. We write, “In God we trust,” but one who trusts in God must be equally kind and merciful toward all living entities. That is God consciousness. (Teachings of Queen Kunti 11)
The devotee thinks, avashya rakshibe krishna: “Krishna will surely protect me and give me help for the successful execution of devotional service.” This is called confidence. . . . Complete confidence in the path of devotional service will enable one to attain his desired goal, but attempting to follow other paths will only succeed in making one restless. (Nectar Of Instruction 3, purport)
Back it by Knowledge
To trust is very good, but simple trust will not endure unless it is backed up with scientific knowledge of God. One may know that he has a father, but unless he knows who his father is, his knowledge is imperfect. And that education in the science of God is lacking. (Science of Self-Realization 6a)
The Americans say they trust in God. But without the science of God, that trust is simply fictitious. First take the science of God very seriously, then put your trust in Him. They do not know what God is, but we do. We actually trust in God. (Science of Self-Realization, 6d)
Result of developing trust
It is all Krishna’s money. When He sees us very faithful and trustworthy, He gives up His money for expenditures. simply pray to Krishna that you may be able by His Grace to serve Him nicely. (Letter to subala, 8 July 1969, Los Angeles)