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Trusting God in Difficult Times

First read Psalm 11:3-4.

The advisors of King David are panicking and advise him to flee from his enemies (Psalm 11:1-2). But David knows that it would be bad for his people if he fled. How does he manage not to panic despite the threatening circumstances? The answer is in verse 4 (NIV): “The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them.“

The certainty that God is on his heavenly throne and is reigning over the world (v. 4) calms David down. He knows that God never loses control and will make a good plan – even if we do not always see or understand his plan. When we make plans, we can only see the here and now, but God is above time and involves the perspective of eternity.

When we make plans, we are often like a child who rides in the car with its parents, pretending to steer a toy steering wheel and believing that we are driving the car ourselves – we think we have the control over the world at our hands. If our world then descends into chaos, we have the feeling that everything is out of control. But the Almighty God who has created our world holds the wheel in his hand. Only when we become humble and admit to ourselves that it’s not us, but God who is in control and is sitting in the driver’s seat that we will find rest and peace in times of crisis (Psalm 46:11; Isaiah 30:15).

“The LORD is in his holy temple” (v. 4) and the temple is here for us. In the Old Testament only the highest priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies of the temple, but through the death of Jesus on the cross, the curtain in the temple was split and we can personally experience God’s presence (Hebrews 10:19-21) - e.g. through prayer and by reading the Bible.

God made himself small and vulnerable by becoming a man and then dying for our sins – he knows suffering and pain, because he himself suffered on the cross. Therefore, we are not alone in our suffering, since Jesus is close to us and understands how we are feeling. We often don’t understand why God permits suffering – but this doesn’t mean that he doesn’t love us. God has promised to give us new strength when we are exhausted (see Isaiah 40:29-31).

Prayer, Get Free & Next Step:

What is currently challenging you? Which issues or sorrows would you like to surrender to God today to let him give you strength and trust in his plan? 

Even if we do not always understand God’s plans, they do exist – invite God to show you his perspective and ask for courage to embrace it.