How to Trust God in Uncertain Seasons
By Christine Perry
"My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." - Psalm 73:26, NKJV
Have you ever wondered if God has forgotten you? Have you been crying out to him, and all you hear is silence? Have you been desperate to know where He was leading and what He was doing?
Life can be hard. Life comes with seasons of uncertainty. Perhaps you are facing a season of unemployment, infertility, a health diagnosis, a broken relationship, the lack of a relationship, or the loss of someone you love. It can be a dark and scary place not to have answers on where your next meal will come from, what the doctor's report might say, if there will be a marriage or a family for you, or how you will move forward without your loved one.
In seasons of uncertainty, it can be hard to know what the Lord is doing or why He has allowed you to face what you're going through. You may be asking yourself, doesn't God see the tears I've cried? Hasn't He heard the prayers I've prayed? The answer is yes. God is always working, and He is always in control. However, God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV).
If we understand God's ways, He wouldn't be God. But how can we find the courage to keep pressing ahead today? How can you endure this season when you feel your prayers are falling on deaf ears and the place you feel God has led you to resembles a desert?
The answer is this: Renew your mind with God’s promises and never, never give up!
The Christian walk is like a marathon. There will be seasons in your walk, just like when you run a marathon, where you will feel like you've hit a wall. When I ran my first marathon halfway through, I hit a wall that I thought would have taken me out of the race. I had discomfort in my hip that wouldn’t cease. Suddenly, I began to doubt I would finish. I had to fight through the mental wall by telling my feet to take one step at a time. Eventually, I got to mile 17, where I had a friend who I could see cheering for me. Her presence and words of encouragement bolstered my resolve to keep running.
In your walk with the Lord, you will hit spiritual walls. When you do, you have to hold tight to the promises of God — one promise and verse at a time — and if you have a Christian friend, ask them to pray for you. The enemy of our soul wants us to doubt that God even cares. He wants to make us feel completely alone and discouraged. He does everything in his power to tempt us to throw in the towel because he knows he has already lost and wants us to lose too. Regardless of our situation, God is still on the throne. He has the final say. His plans will not and cannot be thwarted (Job 42:1-2, NKJV). And even if we are faithless, He still remains faithful! (2 Timothy 2:13, NKJV). No situation we face in this life will ever be too hard for God.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
It’s okay to go to God with all your tears, hurt, doubts, and frustration. Even David cried in Psalms 13, “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? … having sorrow in my heart daily.” God not only handles our emotions, but He also sympathizes with us (Hebrews 4:14-16, NKJV). However, we also need to realize we are in a spiritual fight. In Matthew 4:1-11, before Jesus’ ministry officially started, Satan tempted Him in the desert. Jesus fought every single one of the enemy's tactics with the Word of God. Spend time with the Lord today, praying and holding on to His promises. Ask God to help you continue believing He is a good, kind, compassionate Father who wants your very best. Then continue holding on to the truth that God sees you, God hears you, God is for you, and nothing is impossible for God.
“We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God. He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts.” — A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God
Further Reading:
Remind yourself of these promises...
God sees.
“She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” (Genesis 16:13, NKJV)
God hears.
“I cried to Him with my mouth, And He was extolled with my tongue. If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me!” (Psalm 66:17-20, NKJV)
God is for you.
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31 NKJV)
Nothing is impossible for God.
“For with God nothing will be impossible." (Luke 1:37, NKJV)
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Koldunova_Anna
Christine is just a lady who was given the gift of being raised in an incredible family. For reasons unknown to her, God has blessed her with an amazing life full of beautiful friendships, remarkable experiences, and a love from Him that is completely underserved. She desires to encourage others and share hope as we journey through the highs and lows of life. Christine is the author of How I Met Peace and For the Weary Life Traveler, a 31-day devotional. Check out more of Christine's work at her website: Learning to be fearless and her Patreon.
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