That old hymn has much to say even though we sometimes sing it without thinking through the full meaning of it. It is kind of like two wings of a bird. "Trust" and "obey" are the two wings of the Christian as we seek to rise in Him! They absolutely go together. We obey because we trust. We trust so that we are able to obey. If we try to obey without walking in faith, we get nowhere. If we try to faith something apart from obedience, it will end in nothingness. It is two sides of a coin.
Even though trust is on one side of the coin and obey on the other, we as believers and the church as a whole have tried to split them apart. We tend to make it all about believing. Believe God wholly and then move to obedience and Jesus will become your all in all. There are no shortcuts to God's presence. Moses had to spend 40 years on the backside of the desert before he experienced the burning bush. It is all in God's timing. Only He can direct us into the path leading us into the manifest presence of God. This path has nothing to do with convenience or shortcuts. Our great High Priest did not take a shortcut but followed the path all the way to the cross. He went the full distance to become our Mediator and High Priest and now sits on the right hand of the Father.
He is the only guide to usher us into the presence of Holy God. The enemy works overtime trying to come between God and us. But we who have found Christ in all His fullness of the God-head have found the perfect Guide. When we follow Him with all that we are we can find the kind of rest and peace that only comes in God's presence. The following sums it all up:
That I Might Know Him
by Max I. Reich (1863 - 1945
That I might know Him! Let this be life's aim,
Still to explore the wealth stored in His Name.
With heaven-bought intelligence to trace
The glories that light up His sinless face:
that I might know His power day by day,
Protecting, guiding in the upward way:
That I might know His Presence, calm and pure,
Changeless midst changes, and midst losses sure:
To dwell with Him, in spirit, day and night;
To walk with Him by faith, if not by sight;
To work with Him, as He shall plan, not I:
To cleave to Him, and let the world go by:
To live on earth a life of selfless love;
to set the mind and heart on things above:
Till I shall see Him without vision dim,
And know Him as I know I'm known of Him.
