Life’s twists and turns often catch us off guard, leaving us feeling lost and overwhelmed. At first, turning to God for support and guidance may seem like the obvious choice and come easy. However, as the dust settles and we’re left to navigate the aftermath of a difficult situation, our trust may waver. How do we continue to trust God in the unexpected?
Why Trust God?
The question remains: why should we trust God? Nancy Guthrie beautifully captures the essence of trust in her words:
Trusting God when the miracle does not come, when the urgent prayer gets no answer, when there is only darkness—this is the kind of faith God values perhaps most of all. This is the kind of faith that can be developed and displayed only in the midst of difficult circumstances. This is the kind of faith that cannot be shaken because it is the result of having been shaken.
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Trusting God isn’t about receiving what we want but anchoring our faith in His sovereignty, even amid uncertainty. Placing our trust in God is, without a doubt, the best decision we could ever make, leading us to strengthen our faith and find peace beyond our understanding.
"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 4:7 NIV)
So, why should we trust God? The best way to discover the answer is to take a leap of faith and try it. Here are five steps to make a difference when you want to trust God.
How to Trust God: Five Steps
Trusting God can be daunting, especially when faced with uncertainty and confusion. Let’s explore five practical steps that can help us strengthen our trust in the Lord.
1. Make a Conscious Decision to Trust God
Trusting God begins with a conscious decision we must make upfront, regardless of our circumstances. We choose to believe He holds our best interests at heart, even when the outcomes seem unclear.
Do not wait for a feeling of confidence. We must call out to the Lord even when it makes no sense. We must never make our trust contingent on the outcome.
A decision to trust is rarely a one-time decision. All too often, I find myself with hands clenched tight and a stomach twisting and turning. Then, the feelings of being overwhelmed and anxious quickly wash over me, and I know it is immediately time to go back and decide to trust God all over again.
A powerful statement I frequently repeat aloud to align my complete trust in God—
I will trust you, God, if healing comes, illness remains, and even death occurs.
Maree Dee
When we decide to trust God upfront, we don’t necessarily need to struggle with the decision to put our faith in Him; we merely need to remind ourselves that we have already chosen Jesus.
"For we walk by faith, not by sight."
(2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV)
2. Draw Closer to God
Building trust requires intimacy; the same applies to our relationship with God. After all, isn’t it easier to trust the people you know?
Trust is the foundation of all good relationships, which is no different with God. #relationships #trustGod #trust Share on XTo form a trusting relationship with Jesus, we must get to know Him by spending time with Him, praying, learning about Him, and listening to His voice. It takes an investment of time.
I use the prayer acronym T.R.U.S.T. to help me remember to trust God daily. Click here for free printable worksheets.
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
(Joshua 1:9 NIV)
3. Cry Out to God
God has huge shoulders and invites us to pour out our hearts to Him, unfiltered and raw, without hesitation. We can go to him with anything, like the psalmists and biblical figures who lamented and questioned. The Lord can handle our emotions with boundless grace and provides a safe refuge for our openness.
In the Bible, we see many examples of people lamenting to God. The Psalms are full of David crying out to the Lord. Then, in (Luke 10:40 NIV), Martha asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? …Tell her to help me!” Even Jesus in the garden asked, “Let this cup pass from me.” (Matthew 26:39 ESV)
We can be brutally honest with God, expressing our deepest fears and frustrations. Although we can tell Him anything, we want to be careful not to grumble about Him.
"O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge." (Psalm 62:8 NLT)
4. Remember His Faithfulness
Take the time to recall what God has done in your life and the lives of those around you. God’s faithfulness serves as a powerful antidote to doubt. #doubt #remember #trust Share on XJournaling provides a place to document and revisit how God has shown up in our lives, which reinforces our confidence that we are not alone. In (Psalms 77 NLT), Asaph wrestles and cries out to God but ultimately remembers how God has helped him in the past, which leads him to trust God in the present.
Start your journal page with “I will remember,”……… and list how God has helped.
5. Let Go of Control
Trusting God requires surrendering our need for control and allowing Him to guide our paths. Letting go of our grip can be the most challenging part, and we may need to do this repeatedly over the same issue.
When we give it all to God; it doesn’t mean we do nothing. Instead, letting go indicates that God calls the shots, and we have decided to trust Him and be obedient to what He asks of us. Sometimes, we merely need to move over so He can work.
A helpful visual is to imagine placing our worries and struggles in a Moses Basket and sending them down the river into God’s hands as a brave mother did with her precious baby. Click here to read “The Best Thing to Do When Life Is Difficult.”
We must release our grip!
Letting go is tough, especially when you relinquish someone you love. However, we do not trust God one hundred percent when we hold on. Remember, God is amid your circumstances. Show him your trust by letting go and allowing him to have it all.
The Challenge of Trusting God
Trusting the Lord isn’t always easy. When the unexpected hits, we may jump in with complete trust. But then, as we settle into our “new normal,” it is easy to let our trust slip away. Do you ever do this?
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
(Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT)
Although we may never understand or like the difficult circumstances in our lives, we don’t have to let that keep us from trusting a loving God. Our Lord has our best interest in mind. As I often say,
“I don’t like this, Lord, but if this is what it takes for your will to be done, I am all in.” “I trust you, God.”
So, as we face life’s unexpected twists and turns, let’s anchor our trust in God’s unwavering faithfulness. Though the journey may be fraught with challenges, our trust in Him will ultimately lead us to peace and purpose.
How do you continue to trust God in the unexpected? Which steps above do you struggle with?
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This powerful prayer packet includes worksheets for using the prayer acronym T.R.U.S.T. and more. For more information, visit our “Embracing Prayer” page.
“I don’t like this, Lord, but if this is what it takes for your will to be done, I am all in.” “I trust you, God.” Great statement! I’m reminded that He is refining me when I need to trust even when I don’t like what’s going on!
Lynn, you are absolutely right. God refines me when I don’t like what is going on. Trust is the only way through. Maree
My thoughts on trusting God:
I recently attended a ladies conference and the theme of that conference was from Colossians 3. It was about putting off and putting on. But it was also about who we are in Christ.
Colossians 3:12 tells us that we are chosen, holy, and beloved. We are chosen by God, we are beloved by God, and therefore, we should be holy as God is holy.
When we think of these attributes that God says we are—chosen, holy and beloved, we find that there are things we need to put off and things we need to put on.
Some of the things we need to put off, Colossians 3:8 tells us, are anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk.
Colossians 3:12 tell us to put on compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
In a breakout session, we were encouraged to think about the things we personally need to put off and put on.
For me, my mind wandered back a page or so in my Bible to Philippians 4:13—a verse that holds immense power and wisdom.
“I can do all things
through Him who strengthens me.”
I’ve found in my own life I have to constantly put off independence and put on dependence.
At first glance, it’s easy for us to focus on that empowering declaration of self-sufficiency in the first part of Philippians 4:13: “I can do ALL the things.” It instills a sense of independence and capability, reminding us of our potential to overcome challenges and achieve our goals. Left to itself, it’s the world’s motto.
But when we dive deeper, we uncover the profound truth embedded in the latter part of that verse: “through Him who strengthens me.”
Here in lies the heart of the matter—while we may possess inner strength and determination, it is through God’s empowerment that our abilities are truly magnified.
Our journey of faith is about recognizing our inherent dependence on the One who breathes life into our souls and infuses us with His strength.
In a world that glorifies self-reliance, let’s remember that our true fulfillment and sustenance come from surrendering to the loving embrace of our Creator.
Our souls crave the nourishment that only He can provide, and it’s in acknowledging our dependence on Him that we find our ultimate Source of strength and resilience.
Have a great weekend Maree!
Patsy
Thank you so much for your beautiful reply. I am right there with you needing to let go of independence and put on dependence on God. I can’t seem to master this. Philippians 4:13 is one of my favorite verses; in fact, I used it in my last presentation. We do need God’s strength. I’m going to spend some time with God and ponder what I need to take off and put on. Thank you!
Like that hymn says, God moves in a mysterious way. The clouds we so much fear are big with mercy and shall break with blessings on our heads. May God help us trust Him always. Thanks for the reminder. Many blessings to you!
That is beautiful, Boma! Thank you for sharing your words. I will never look at clouds the same.
Blessings,
Maree
I so needed this encouragement and the reminders you shared here in this post. The unanswered prayers are hard in the moment, but I know God is still faithful. Thank you 💞
I understand how difficult it can be to have unanswered prayers, Jen. I’m glad that my words provided encouragement for you. Thank you for letting me know.
Great stuff here, friend! What an important topic to tackle.
Thank you, Kristen. It is always a delight to see your comments. I hope you are having a great start to your week. Maree