trusting our Abba in the hard times
Although our Instagram feed may not say it… although we often don’t want to admit it…
Life is not without its share of difficulties.
I’m sure that doesn’t come to as a surprise to you. Even if we were to remove the worldwide pandemic and racial injustices we’re experiencing right now, life would still be hard.
And I would be lying to you if I said that it was the easiest thing in the world to trust God during the hard times. One of the hardest moments in my life was when I was diagnosed with a chronic illness. I was just beginning high school and what I thought was the “best time of my life.”
But when times are hard, when the world feels like its caving in on us — it’s even more important as followers of God to trust Him and make it our first resort — not last. When life is hard and “things keep getting worse”, it’s even more necessary to stand firmly on the foundation we’ve built on Him.
“But sometimes I wonder if it’s even possible to trust God in the hard times. People say I can… but how?”
Can we truly trust God in the hardest of circumstances? Is He worthy of being trusted with such big things? How can we trust Him even when we don’t understand what’s going on? When we can’t see a resolution or end? When it’s just so overwhelming?
When I find it difficult to trust God, especially in the hard times, I often look to the story of Joseph. Genesis 37 introduces us to a young boy named Joseph. His father was Jacob. His life was an amazing example of one who was able to trust God and keep the faith even in the hardest of times…
Even though he was betrayed and left for dead by his brothers. Even though he was sold into slavery. Even though he was falsely accused for rape. Even though he was imprisoned. (Trust me: You’re going to want to read the whole story for yourself.)
So what does it mean to “trust God”?
TRUST (in God): a belief in God’s truth, ability and strength.
To put it simply, trusting in God means believing what He says about Himself, about the world and about you is true and unchangeable. Trusting is a choice, not a feeling.
The Bible tells us repeatedly that God loves you and always keeps His promises. One quality so essential to God’s character is the fact that He doesn’t lie (Numbers 23:19). But that’s where a lot of us get hung up. If we truly believe that God loves us, is always with us, keep His promises and always provides for us — then why don’t we trust Him? Remember: Trusting God is believing everything He says about Himself and everything He promises us to be true!
Raise your hand if you’ve ever said something like this: “Well, today is going well so I feel like I can trust God.”
Now raise your hand if you’ve ever said something like this: “I feel depressed. The world is crazy. I don’t feel like trusting God today. It’s too much.”
Sis, I’m with you. But something God has shown me is that in those moments of unbelief and distrust — I’m elevating my circumstances. I’m elevating my feelings. I’m elevating the world instead of my Creator.
When circumstances tempt us to believe something different, God doesn’t change. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Therefore, friend — He is worthy of our trust. Because He does not change — because He is always loving, caring, powerful and almighty — we can trust Him.
God’s not commanding us to ignore our feelings or what’s happening around us. It is not pretending that everything is alright when it isn’t. What He is commanding us is to acknowledge the realities of this world, realize our need for Him alone, turn and believe Him.
“It’s about cultivating a 24/7 lifestyle of unwavering belief and obedience to God. Not just a feeling that comes and goes with the day.”
— Tara Sun
Tangible Ways to Trust Him
Actively cast your cares on Him.
Peter tells us in 1 Peter 5 to “cast our cares on Him, because He cares for you.” In this chapter, Peter emphasizes the necessity of humbling ourselves to God — to lowering ourselves and recognizing our need. To cast, meaning to “throw off” and “hurl” our anxieties, up to Him.
We can trust and obey God is to cast your cares and anxieties on Him. When we acknowledge our worries and distrust and choose to surrender them to Jesus, it’s shows that we trust Him and His ability. Pray and ask God to humble your heart. However hard it may be, start humbly and ask God to help us release our control because only He is able.
Everyday, ask Him to help you release your grip on your circumstances. You can trust Him with your cares, frustrations and worries. He is your Father — your closest friend — your Savior.
Plug into God’s Word everyday.
Something that has helped me go from distrusting to trusting is spending quality time with God in His Word everyday. Like I always love to remind us, the more we read His promises, recount His faithfulness and get to know His heart through the Word, the more we will trust Him.
The Bible is packed with mind blowing goodness. The main overarching theme of the Bible is who God is, what His good plan for the world is and Who He sent to save us! So the more we read the Bible, inevitably, the more we’ll learn about and fall in love with our Savior.
Think about it: The more you know someone, the more you trust them. So let’s be diligent about reading His promises, recounting His faithfulness and studying His Word everyday. It’s not only what we’re commanded to do. It’s not only what helps us thrive in our faith and get closer to God. It also helps us trust Him more.
Walk in obedience to Him.
Say I’m a perfect, professionally certified skydiver and I told you that you could jump out of the play by by yourself — without a buddy on your first jump? (Now this could be a better example but bear with me.) If you trusted me, one way you could demonstrate that trust is to jump out without a buddy strapped to you.
Application: Because of who God is, because of His character, you can trust that simply walking in obedience to Him will bring you blessing, joy, sanctification and security. Even in the hardest of times.
Ask God to renew your mind and help you switch the attention from worrying about the world and circumstances around you. Ask Him to help you wake up each day and give a simple “yes” to Him and what He commands you to do. Obey His Word and what He speaks to you and watch Him do the rest (Read John 15:10).
Find security and confidence in Him alone.
There are a lot of things that make it feel like the foundation beneath us is crumbling. But like we mentioned before, that usually comes when we make the circumstances bigger than the Creator.
Over and over in the gospels, Jesus sharply encourages people to confess their unbelief and turn away from it. A lot of times, when we’re distrusting, it reveals an unbelieving heart — one that doesn’t believe in God’s power — whether we realize it or not.
But take heart. Our Father knows that His children will have moments of unbelief. But He graciously provides us a way to confess our unbelief and turn away from it. There’s no shame in Him — admit to Him your unbelief and ask Him to help you believe. Ask Him to help you find your security and confidence in Him alone.
Let’s strive to show our allegiance to Christ alone. In a world that tempts us to put our security in material things like money, status or even governmental systems, may we be people who hold fast to Him and His truth alone.
Wait on the Lord and renew your hope.
Impatience is one of trust’s biggest nemeses. It causes us to rush ahead of the Lord and eventually lose hope. Many of us wonder if God is just sitting around, not working. But the reality is that He’s in all and through all in every moment (Rom. 11:36).
A heart that trusts God is one that waits patiently on Him. Now, let’s not mistake waiting patiently for being stagnant. Waiting is a symbol of deep trust in God — willing to stick it out with Him, no matter the cost, because He’s dependable.
Isaiah 40 talks about God’s sovereignty and power — over everything. The good times and the bad. The hard and the difficult. Although we may grow tired and weak, God will renew us if we choose to wait on Him. To trust Him. Wait patiently. Don’t rush ahead. Settle into the hope He provides. Walk in it everyday and wait for what He has brewing. I can tell you that it’s immeasurably more than we could imagine because that’s who He is.
