Week 1: Trusting God When You Don’t Understand
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts higher than your thoughts.” - Isaish 55:9
Trust God. This might have been the phrase a well-meaning friend said to you when you were going through something you didn’t understand. Even though they meant well, it doesn’t always feel like the most helpful advice. How do you just flip a switch and decide to start trusting God?
Well, think of someone in your life who you do trust. Why do you trust them? Is it because they’ve proven that they keep their word? Or maybe they’re easy to trust because you know their motivations. You believe that they love you and want the best for you.
The same is true about God. He keeps His promises, His motivations are pure, and He loves you more than you can imagine. If you want proof, you don’t have to look far to see how much He loves you. The Bible tells us a lot about His character and the motivation behind His actions.
Proverbs 3:5-6 AMP - Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight or understanding.
[a]In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,
And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].
TPT - “Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go.”
Psalm 100:5 AMP - “For the Lord is good;
His mercy and lovingkindness are everlasting,
His faithfulness [endures] to all generations.”
TPT - “For Yahweh is always good and ready to receive you. He’s so loving that it will amaze you— so kind that it will astound you! And he is famous for his faithfulness toward all. Everyone knows our God can be trusted, for he keeps his promises to every generation!”
John 5:24 AMP - “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, the person who hears My word [the one who heeds My message], and believes and trusts in Him who sent Me, has (possesses now) eternal life [that is, eternal life actually begins—the believer is transformed], and does not come into judgment and condemnation, but has passed [over] from death into life.”
TPT - ““I speak to you an eternal truth: if you embrace my message and believe in the One who sent me, you will never face condemnation. In me, you have already passed from the realm of death into eternal life!””
Isaish 26: 3 AMP - ““You will keep in [a]perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both [b]inclination and character],
Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].”
TPT - “Perfect, absolute peace surrounds those whose imaginations are consumed with you; they confidently trust in you.”
Throughout the Bible, God shows us He is faithful. He blesses Abraham and Sarah with a child in their old age. He saves Joseph’s entire family from seven years of famine. He rescues His people from slavery in Egypt by parting the Red Sea. And in an ultimate display of love for us, He sends His only Son to die in our place so that we can spend eternity in Heaven with Him.
God has proven over and over throughout Scripture that He is a promise-keeper and His plans for us are good. If we look for them, we likely have countless examples in our own lives of His love and good intentions. Even so, it can still be hard to take the leap and trust Him, especially when we’re going through a difficult time. It doesn’t mean His promises are any less true.
Nahum 1:7 AMP - “The Lord is good,
A strength and stronghold in the day of trouble;
He knows [He recognizes, cares for, and understands fully] those who take refuge and trust in Him.”
TPT - “The goodness of Yahweh is beyond belief! For when trouble comes, we run into his heart and hide. He always cares for those who seek refuge in him.”
It was likely hard for the people in the Bible to continue to trust God too. Abraham and Sarah struggled with infertility for decades before they had Issac. Joseph was sold into slavery and wrongly imprisoned so that he could be in the position to save his family when the famine hit. The Israelites were mistreated for centuries before God led them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. And yet, in every single one of these stories, God was faithful. He blessed, He rescued, and He provided for His people.
Psalm 62:1-2 AMP - “For God alone my soul waits in silence;
From Him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation,
My defense and my strong tower; I will not be shaken or disheartened.”
TPT - “I stand silently to listen for the one I love, waiting as long as it takes for the Lord to rescue me. For God alone has become my Savior. He alone is my safe place; his wraparound presence always protects me. For he is my champion defender; there’s no risk of failure with God. So why would I let worry paralyze me, even when troubles multiply around me?”
Psalm 9:10 AMP - “And those who know Your name [who have experienced Your precious mercy] will put their confident trust in You,
For You, O Lord, have not abandoned those who seek You.”
TPT - “For everyone who knows your wonderful name keeps putting their trust in you. They can count on you for help no matter what. O Lord, you will never, no never, neglect those who come to you.”
As we read the Bible, we have the benefit of knowing the whole story. We can zoom out and see the full picture. We can easily see how God moved in the lives of His people to work everything for their good. Unfortunately, we don’t have the ability to see our full story. We only see a small piece of the big picture. When we’re zoomed in and focused on our momentary struggles, it can be hard to trust God. But if we take a deep breath and zoom out to remember the times God has been faithful to us and the promises He has made to give us an abundant life and an eternity with Him, we will find peace.
Jeremiah 17:7-8 AMP - ““Blessed [with spiritual security] is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord
And whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord.
“For he will be [nourished] like a tree planted by the waters,
That spreads out its roots by the river;
And will not fear the heat when it comes;
But its leaves will be green and moist.
And it will not be anxious and concerned in a year of drought
Nor stop bearing fruit.”
TPT - ““I will bless with happiness the one who trusts in me, the one who trusts in me alone. He is like a tree planted on the riverbank, extending its roots into streams of water. It does not fear when scorching heat comes, for its leaves remain fresh and never fading even in a year of drought. It has no anxieties but continues to bear luscious fruit.””
Psalm 28:7 AMP - “The Lord is my strength and my [impenetrable] shield; My heart trusts [with unwavering confidence] in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I shall thank Him and praise Him.”
TPT - “Yahweh is my strength and my wraparound shield. When I fully trust in you, help is on the way. I jump for joy and burst forth with ecstatic, passionate praise! I will sing songs of what you mean to me!”
If you’re struggling to trust God, maybe you need to shift your perspective. Consider what you know about God’s character. If you don’t know stories about His faithfulness and His promises for us, read the Bible and get to know Him better. Reflect on the times when you’ve seen God move in your life and draw on those memories whenever you start to doubt. Notice when you’re too focused on your circumstances and choose to zoom out and meditate on God’s love. The more you practice trusting God in the small things, the easier it will become to trust God in the midst of a storm.
Whatever struggle, setback, or failure you’re going through, trust that God is on your side and is working everything for your good. You may not understand the big picture today, in five years, or ever, but because you know who God is and how deeply He loves you, you can trust you’re safe in His hands.
Reflection on Trust
Think of someone in your life you deeply trust. What qualities about them make it easy for you to trust them? How do these qualities compare to God’s character?
When you hear the phrase “Trust God,” what feelings or thoughts come up for you? Encouragement? Frustration? Doubt? Why do you think that is?
What’s an area of your life right now where trusting God feels easy? What’s an area where it feels especially hard?
Looking at Scripture & God’s Faithfulness
How do the stories of Abraham and Sarah, Joseph, or the Israelites encourage you in your own waiting seasons?
Which biblical example of God’s faithfulness speaks to you the most, and why?
Why do you think God allows His people to experience long seasons of waiting or difficulty before His promises are fulfilled?
Zooming Out & Perspective
When has God proven Himself faithful in your past, even if you didn’t recognize it until later?
How might “zooming out” and remembering God’s past faithfulness help you in your current struggles?
What practical ways can we remind ourselves of God’s bigger picture when we’re feeling stuck in the moment?
Application for Today
What’s one small step of trust you can take this week in an area you’ve been holding back from God?
How can you practice trusting God in the “small things” so it becomes more natural to trust Him in the storms?
How might sharing stories of God’s faithfulness with each other strengthen not only your trust but the trust of others in the group?
A Warfare Prayer: Trusting God — Whether You Don't Understand
Almighty God, Sovereign over heaven and earth,
I come before You now — not with answers, but with surrender.
When my mind feels certain and when it trembles in confusion, I choose to trust You.
Lord, strip away my pride that believes understanding equals control.
When I think I see the path, guard my heart from self-reliance.
When I cannot see, be my eyes; when I think I know, be my judge and guide.
Arm me, Father, with steadfast faith:
faith that stands when explanations fail,
faith that obeys when certainty tempts me to cheap confidence,
faith that waits when wisdom seems distant.
Break every weapon the enemy fashions from my knowing or my doubt.
Shatter the lies that whisper, “You must have every answer,”
and tear down every stronghold built from fear, arrogance, or impatience.
Fill me with the Spirit’s peace that steadies the soul in storms of thought.
Grant discernment to act humbly, courage to admit ignorance, and grace to walk by Your light — not mine.
Teach me to praise you in the mystery, to sing while I’m learning, and to worship while I wait.
Jesus, be my refuge and my banner.
When I understand, let understanding point me back to You.
When I don’t, let not-knowing draw me closer into Your hand.
Use both to shape me into someone who trusts You above all understanding.
I bind fear, pride, and false assurance in the name of Jesus.
I loose bold obedience, quiet confidence, and unwavering hope.
By Your Spirit, overthrow confusion with clarity only You can give, and plant peace that outlives every question.
So I stand — not knowing everything, and not needing to — because You know all.
I trust You. I follow You. I fight only by Your strength.
All glory to You, now and forever. Amen.