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Life is not predictable. There are ups and downs along the way. Many of us want to trust God, but how do we trust God when things look dire? God’s unchanging character can give us a firm foundation when things feel unsteady and uncertain. The Lord wants us to learn to walk by faith not by sight.
Life can be going along smoothly for a season. Your job is satisfying, your friends and family are enjoyable. Your goals, finances, health and outlook seem bright. Then, all of a sudden, life throws a curveball. Someone you know gets sick. You lose your job. A friend or family member betrays you. The things that felt secure suddenly feel shaky and uncertain.
How do you trust that God is good in these circumstances? What do you do when you do not understand what is happening? These are valid questions, and God wants to help you navigate them.
The Israelites trusted God when Philistines were About to Overrun Them
The Israelites had turned back to God and repented for their idol worship, but soon found themselves in a challenging situation that would stretch their faith. How would they react to the threat of the Philistines; would the Lord protect them?
1 Samuel 7:7 When the Philistine rulers heard that Israel had gathered at Mizpah, they mobilized their army and advanced. The Israelites were badly frightened when they learned that the Philistines were approaching. 8 “Don’t stop pleading with the Lord our God to save us from the Philistines!” they begged Samuel. 9 So Samuel took a young lamb and offered it to the Lord as a whole burnt offering. He pleaded with the Lord to help Israel, and the Lord answered him.
10 Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived to attack Israel. But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them.[1]
The Israelites did trust the Lord and walked by faith and the Lord, through His mighty power, saved them from the Philistines. From the world’s view their situation seemed impossible, but our faithful God delivered them.
How can I learn to trust God?
Now that you know what it means to trust God, how exactly can you do that in our everyday life? If you trust someone, you feel comfortable being honest with them about anything. God is much more reliable than even our most trustworthy friend. When things feel difficult, He doesn’t ask you to keep those feelings to yourself. 1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. [2]
Because God loves you, you can show your trust in Him by talking about all your feelings and circumstances with Him through prayer. Don’t let your emotions rule your life but bring them to God so He can help you address them. He is not disappointed or frustrated by our struggles, doubts or pain. He cares about you, and you can trust Him with those things.
Jesus Himself felt overwhelmed by what was before Him as he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, and He went straight to His Father. (Matthew 26:36-45)
He cares for your hurts. He pays attention. How comforting it is to know that the God of the universe is also paying attention to you. You can trust God when things look dire.
To hear more about trusting God when life looks bad, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/faith-makes-a-difference-samuel
[1,2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.