Trusting God in Uncertainty

I'm sitting in my car, engine still running, outside my kid's school. We're running late. Again. My mind is racing with all the what-ifs and maybes. What if I get fired because I'm constantly late? Maybe I'm just not cut out for this parenting thing.

It's in these moments that I'm reminded of the Israelites. They were in the wilderness, and they had no idea how they were going to make it to the Promised Land. But they had a choice: they could put their faith in God or rely on their own abilities. And let's be honest, their abilities weren't looking so great at the moment.

The Wilderness of Uncertainty

I've been there too - in that place of uncertainty. Where the only thing I know is that I don't know what's going to happen next. It's a scary place to be. But it's also a place where I'm forced to confront my own limitations. I can try to control everything, to make all the right decisions, to anticipate every possible outcome. But at the end of the day, I'm just not in control. And that's a hard truth to swallow.

The Israelites were in a similar place. They were trapped between the Egyptians and the Red Sea. And they had to decide whether to have faith in God's power or be guided by what they could see. Because from where they were standing, it looked like there was no way out. But God had other plans. As it says in Exodus 14:13-14, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."

I'll be honest, I've struggled with this too. It's easy to feel secure in God's care when things are going well. But when the bottom falls out, it's a lot tougher. I start to wonder if God is really in control, if He's really good.

A Glimpse of God's Character

But then I look at Joseph's experience. He was sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused, and thrown into prison. And yet, he never lost sight of God's goodness. As he says in Genesis 50:20, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." Joseph's life shows me God's nature. He's a God who takes even the most painful circumstances and uses them to bring about something good, often in ways I could never imagine or plan.

And that's what I need to remember when I'm stuck in my own wilderness of uncertainty. I need to remember that God is intimately involved in my life, aware of every detail. As it says in Psalm 139:17-18, "How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you."

The Practice of Trust

So how do I cultivate a deeper reliance on God during uncertain times? It's not always straightforward. But I've found that it starts with small steps. It starts with choosing to rely on God's guidance when I'm running late, when I'm feeling overwhelmed, when I'm not sure what's going to happen next.

And it's not just about seeking God's help for the big things, the things that feel life-or-death. It's about seeking His presence in the small things, the things that feel insignificant. Because the reality is, there's no such thing as a small thing when it comes to God. Every moment, every decision, every circumstance is an opportunity to experience His faithfulness.

I think about Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was just an ordinary girl, living an ordinary life. But then God showed up, and everything changed. As the angel Gabriel says to her in Luke 1:37, "For no word from God will ever fail." Mary's experience gives me hope. It reminds me that God can transform even the most mundane moments into something extraordinary.

A New Perspective

I'll be honest, it's tough to see things from God's perspective. It's challenging to surrender to His will, even when I don't understand.

Because, in reality, understanding isn't required. What's necessary is learning to rest in God's sovereignty. And that's a hard thing to do, especially when it feels like my whole world is falling apart. But it's in those moments that I'm reminded of Job's experience. He lost everything, his family, his health, his possessions. And yet, he never lost his sense of awe for God's character. As he says in Job 13:15, "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him."

Job's life teaches me about God's transformative power. He's a God who works in the depths of human suffering, using it to refine and transform us.

So what does it mean for you, in your ordinary week, to live with a deepening sense of God's presence during uncertain times? Maybe you're facing a difficult decision, and you're not sure what to do. Maybe you're feeling overwhelmed, like you're drowning in a sea of uncertainty. Whatever it is, I want to encourage you to place your hope in God's goodness, His guidance, and His love. Because, fundamentally, God is the One who is intimately involved in your life, who knows every hair on your head, every thought in your mind. And He's the One who works all things together for your good.