Living Changed: Trusting GodSýnishorn

Trusting God When You Don’t Understand

Trust God. This might have been the phrase a well-meaning friend said to you when you were going through something you didn’t understand. Even though they meant well, it doesn’t always feel like the most helpful advice. How do you just flip a switch and decide to start trusting God?

Well, think of someone in your life who you do trust. Why do you trust them? Is it because they’ve proven that they keep their word? Or maybe they’re easy to trust because you know their motivations. You believe that they love you and want the best for you.

The same is true about God. He keeps His promises, His motivations are pure, and He loves you more than you can imagine. If you want proof, you don’t have to look far to see how much He loves you. The Bible tells us a lot about His character and the motivation behind His actions.

Throughout the Bible, God shows us He is faithful. He blesses Abraham and Sarah with a child in their old age. He saves Joseph’s entire family from seven years of famine. He rescues His people from slavery in Egypt by parting the Red Sea. And in an ultimate display of love for us, He sends His only Son to die in our place so that we can spend eternity in Heaven with Him.

God has proven over and over throughout Scripture that He is a promise-keeper and His plans for us are good. If we look for them, we likely have countless examples in our own lives of His love and good intentions. Even so, it can still be hard to take the leap and trust Him, especially when we’re going through a difficult time. It doesn’t mean His promises are any less true.

It was likely hard for the people in the Bible to continue to trust God too. Abraham and Sarah struggled with infertility for decades before they had Issac. Joseph was sold into slavery and wrongly imprisoned so that he could be in the position to save his family when the famine hit. The Israelites were mistreated for centuries before God led them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. And yet, in every single one of these stories, God was faithful. He blessed, He rescued, and He provided for His people.

As we read the Bible, we have the benefit of knowing the whole story. We can zoom out and see the full picture. We can easily see how God moved in the lives of His people to work everything for their good. Unfortunately, we don’t have the ability to see our full story. We only see a small piece of the big picture. When we’re zoomed in and focused on our momentary struggles, it can be hard to trust God. But if we take a deep breath and zoom out to remember the times God has been faithful to us and the promises He has made to give us an abundant life and an eternity with Him, we will find peace.

If you’re struggling to trust God, maybe you need to shift your perspective. Consider what you know about God’s character. If you don’t know stories about His faithfulness and His promises for us, read the Bible and get to know Him better. Reflect on the times when you’ve seen God move in your life and draw on those memories whenever you start to doubt. Notice when you’re too focused on your circumstances and choose to zoom out and meditate on God’s love. The more you practice trusting God in the small things, the easier it will become to trust God in the midst of a storm.

Whatever struggle, setback, or failure you’re going through, trust that God is on your side and is working everything for your good. You may not understand the big picture today, in five years, or ever, but because you know who God is and how deeply He loves you, you can trust you’re safe in His hands.