Life is not predictable. There are ups and downs along the way. Many of us want to trust God. When times are good it is easy. But when times are difficult it’s harder to trust God. But, God’s unchanging character can give us a firm foundation when things are unsteady and uncertain.
Life can be going along smoothly for a season. Our jobs are going great, our health is good. Then all suddenly it throws us a curve ball. Someone gets sick or you lose your job. The things that felt secure and all the sudden became shaky and uncertain.
Jelly Roll has a song about how he only talks to God when he needs a favor. This is how most people are. God wants us to talk to Him all the time. When we cannot see a resolution God wants to help us navigate them.
To trust God means to believe in the reliability, truth, ability, and strength of Him. Titus 1:2 tells us “in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.” Trusting Him means believing what He says about Himself, about the world and about you is true.
Trusting God is more than a feeling; it’s a choice to have faith in what He says even when our feelings or circumstances would have us believe something different. Our feelings and circumstances matter and are very much paying attention to. God cares about them both. But those things alone are not reliable enough to base our lives on. They can change at any moment, even in an instant. God, on the other hand, does not change. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and is worthy of our trust.
Trusting God is not about ignoring your feelings or reality. It is not pretending everything is okay when it isn’t. Trusting God is living a life of belief in the obedience of God even when it’s difficult.
What does it mean to trust God in our everyday life?
To trust anyone you have to feel comfortable being honest with them about everything. But God is much more reliable than your most trustworthy friend. When things are difficult He doesn’t want you to keep those feelings to yourself.
He tells us in 1 Peter 5;7 to “cast all your worries on Him because He cares for you.” He also says in Psalm 56:8, that He keeps track of all our sorrows and collects all our tears in a bottle. And has recorded each one in His book,
Because God loves us, we can show our trust in Him by talking about all our feelings and circumstances with Him. Don’t let your emotions rule your life, bring them to God so He can help you address them. He isn’t disappointed of frustrated by your struggles, doubts, or pain.
When you trust, you go to God and His Word (The Bible) when life is hard. You also act on obedience (doing what God says) and trust that He will ultimately take care of the rest. In trust, you don’t look for security in other things. You look to God to hold you securely in difficult circumstances. You might not do this perfectly, but God is kind and patient with you while you learn to trust Him.
Jesus Himself felt overwhelmed by what was before Him, and He went straight to His Father.
A few ways we learn to trust God are:
- Seek His Truth In Scripture
God knows we need somewhere to go when we feel unsure. That place is His Word. It is unchanging and completely trustworthy.
- Confess Your Unbelief
Be honest. Allow God to remind you who He is and what He promises, and then be honest with Him.
- Share Your Concerns With Other Believers
Know that you are not facing these difficult times alone. God is walking with you every step of the way. He also gives us other believers to walk with.
- Remember God And Spend Time With Him
God is bigger than your circumstances. Difficult times may feel like they will last forever, but they are temporary. God is present in our bad times as well as the good. He is always faithful.
- Look For Things To Be Grateful For
Difficult circumstances feel all-consuming at times. It is really hard to see past them to other things that are going on. God’s grace is in all things. In waking you up. In a sunny day. In a call from a friend. He is in all of it. These things can get overshadowed by other more complicated things going on.
- Walk In The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit lives in anyone who puts their trust in Jesus. The Holy Spirit is your constant helper, pointing you to Jesus. In John 14:26 Jesus told of an advocate, the Holy Spirit whom He would send in His Name. To teach you all things and remind you of everything He had said.
- Wait On The Lord
The Holy Spirit will lead you to what you should do. Sometimes what you need to do is wait. And faithfully continue to seek God, but wait on His timing.
Sometimes our trust falters. But God is trustworthy even when you don’t see your prayers being answered or problems solved right away. Life is unpredictable and downright difficult at times, and that difficulty may persist for longer than you had hoped. It may even bring you to the end of your strength. So what do you do then?
Wait, trust, and remember that God loves you. You can trust Him to sustain you, to provide for you even when you are in the middle of hardship. Jesus guaranteed His followers that they would face hard times. John 16:33 says “I have told you these things that in Me you may have peace. In the World you have trouble, but cheer up I have overcome the world.” He promised that He would always be with you.
God is completely trustworthy, but He doesn’t ask you to trust Him blindly. He wants you to learn to trust Him as you get to know Him. You can get to know God through personal time with Him and through His Word.
In times of trouble remember His promises. Remember who He is and always has been. Even in doubt, and uncertainty, if you keep going to Him, He will continually show Himself to be trustworthy.
From Pity to Praise 