How to Trust God in Difficult Seasons
Life brings mountaintops, valleys, and the in-between. There's joy on the mountaintop filled with smiles and praise.
We can even deal with the in-between because it's just like walking on flat ground, but it’s the valleys that test our faith the most. In these times some people wonder how they can possibly trust God in difficult seasons.
What Does Trusting God Look Like?
Trust can be thought of as something that we can rely on. It's like the seat that you sit down in without wondering if it's going to hold you, or the house you drive up to and know it will be there in the same place every time.
The reality is that the chair could somehow weaken and fall at any moment or something could cause the house not to be there. Each has the possibility to fail us, but it's not like that with God.
He is a sure thing, and He wants us to always trust Him in all things even when that seems unfathomable.
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Trust God in All Circumstances
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) tells us to “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.”
This is especially important when we are dealing with difficult seasons like grief from the loss of a loved one or something that meant a lot to us suddenly being taken away. Hard times could be being laid off from a job or going through divorce.
Anything that causes us the feel the weight of life could be a candidate. In these times we may be tempted to figure our own way out or self-soothe, but God is saying that He will show us the best method in every situation. That means we can trust Him!
I remember a long season I went through in life where everything that had become a normal was either removed or just shaky. I found myself in a place where even the people I usually counted on weren't able to do anything. I felt alone and abandoned.
Even in the midst of tears on some days, I kept acknowledging God, praising Him, reading the Bible, and trusting Him. My experience during that period changed when I let go and allowed God to work and guide me. I had to come to the place where I trusted Him completely.
Trust God Completely
Have you ever had a person in your life that was close to you, yet you still didn't quite trust them? Maybe they hurt you in some way or did an unthinkable thing which ate away at the confidence you had in them. Your instinct may have been to create distance, only let them in so far, or completely disconnect.
We can't be like that with God. A real relationship with Him includes trusting Him fully even when life hits us hard. Some seasons will make you question where God is in all of it, but we must know that He’s there and ready to minister to our needs.
God wants us to be dependent on Him not because He has a big ego, but because it's part of his divine plan to take care of us. He wants us to free fall in Him no matter the situation. The difficult season is a test which shows us where our "trust in God meter" is. We learn through these experiences whether we're going to keep on going through life with Him or choose another route.
Demonstrating Complete Trust in God
If we’re going to keep going, we must know that more difficult seasons are probable as we go through life. Some will be harder and require a deeper level of trust. This kind of reliance requires action which is a demonstration of the faith we have in God.
Others can’t always see this level of trust happening, because it starts in the mind and shows up in our life in what some call manifestation.
Consider a person that is facing a negative doctors report. That person can either decide to accept the diagnosis with no hope that there can be any other outcome, or they can show complete trust in God by believing He can change things despite their current reality.
How to Develop Trust in God
Developing trust in God is just like increasing trust in anything else. We try something one time even if we're skeptical. When it works we try it again. After a while we stop questioning and rely on that thing.
For every situation God takes us through, He's doing the same thing. He's showing us that we can depend on Him.
As time goes on and we step into a place where we're spiritually mature, those difficult testing seasons get longer and harder. This is when you must put your trust in God even if life hurts. Remember they are growing and maturing us (James 1:2-4). They are producing something in us while God demonstrates His consistency in our lives.
How to Trust God in Difficult Seasons Pin
My brothers and sisters, you will have many kinds of trouble. But this gives you a reason to be very happy. 3 You know that when your faith is tested, you learn to be patient in suffering. 4 If you let that patience work in you, the end result will be good. You will be mature and complete. You will be all that God wants you to be.
James 1:2-4
Why You Should Trust God
In Numbers 23:19 it states that God is not a man that he shall lie. In the book of Titus, it says that He cannot lie. This means that whatever God says you can trust it. One way to approach this is to trust in God's Word.
As you read your Bible you will learn more about God and see who He was to others through the various biblical accounts. The same way He was a healer to them or a deliverer or their peace or their joy is the same way He is available to us.
I don't know anyone that consistent. How about you? Prayer is also a good tool to grow in relationship with God.
God helps in difficult times. He uses His sovereign will to allow Heaven to intervene in our earthly circumstances. His purpose is always fulfilled, so we never have to wonder if what we’re going through is in vain. He takes every part of our lives and intertwines it.
Ultimately God has a plan that is bigger than any of us can imagine. When you view it from that perspective and not through the lens of what you’re experiencing, it’s difficult not to trust Him.