Trust in God Even When Life is Hard

When we are facing difficult circumstances, when we are alone or have been betrayed, if we’ve lost our job or home, or found ourselves in an empty nest with nothing in common with our spouse anymore… we are told to ‘just trust’. And it is comforting, as only God can be.

But when we hear that, what do we expect? What does that trust look like, or feel like for us? Do we expect that trusting God means that he will give us what we ask, or will bless what we are doing? That isn’t bad, but it may not be what God has in mind for you.

Trust in God is not the firm conviction or belief that God will give us what we want or what we ask for or what we are doing.

Trust is

Trust is the firm conviction that he knows best and will do it. Trust is being okay with what God does. Even when we don’t agree and even when we don’t understand.

Trust is believing in his love and his hope that will carry us through. His love motivates his actions and whatever we go through, it will be for our best and a greater good.

Total disaster with an ultimate good

Many of us have stories of personal disaster, big or small, that ultimately led to victory and seeing God’s goodness even in these trials. I’ve recounted how I lost my job when I got married, because we were working at the same place. But that has led me to this ministry and outpouring of God’s love in my life for others. I cannot complain about that lost job anymore; I recognize God’s goodness even in a job loss and I trust that He will continue to do good for me – even if it doesn’t seem like it in the moment.

We’ve seen that the biggest proof of God’s love also seemed disaster but brought about the saving of the world. By human eyes and evaluation, Jesus’ betrayal by Jews and Romans alike led to his death – the end of hope. Yet, God does not leave us without hope, and Jesus rose three days later. What seemed like disaster to his followers was made into the greatest good for many.

It is well with my soul

I learned of the story of Horatio Spafford several years ago. He is famous for having penned ‘It is Well with My Soul’ following a personal tragedy. Spafford was from Chicago and lost much of his business in the great fire of 1871. He lost his son to childhood illness.

In a crossing of the Atlantic, he lost his four daughters, though his wife survived. It was on his own voyage across the Atlantic to meet with his wife that he wrote the poem so many of us know as a song:

When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul

CHORUS
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

VERSE 2
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come
Let this blest assurance control
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And has shed His own blood for my soul

VERSE 3
My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin, not in part, but the whole
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul

VERSE 4
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend
Even so, it is well with my soul

Through all the loss, he chose to trust God and be well with what came his way, his ‘lot’. He stood firm in his faith in God.

He and his wife stood in faith, trusting God. They eventually saw two children raised to adulthood and started charity work that lasts to today. Their trust in God brought peace because it wasn’t a desire for what they wanted that carried them onward, but rather a desire for what God willed, knowing that his will was for their good.

Stand firm in faith

It would be difficult to carry the loss of so much as they did.

It is difficult to carry loss, heartache, and trials as you do.

When all seems lost or a spiritual crisis hits, trust in God. Trust, not asking God to do what we want or to bless what we are doing but seeking his will and doing that. Trust by being well with whatever lot comes your way and his peace will accompany you, attend your way. His love drives his actions toward you, meaning that they will be good.

I am reminded of more lyrics about trust. ‘I want what you want and nothing less’, by Lauren Daigle in ‘Trust in you’. It makes me think that when we expect something from God, perhaps it’s not enough. God wants our good. Why do we think he wants what suffices, instead of what abounds?  Daigle says she wants nothing less than what God wants. Just maybe, asking for what we want is settling for less. He knows best and will abound when we ask his will and desire what he desires. Ask God to show you, hold fast to that in trust and and he will act. He will being you peace and show you his love, and abound in hope.

He loves you and wants good for you.

Please share how I can pray for you in this trying time of trusting in God in the comments below or by contacting me directly.