How many of us say we trust God? But when nothing is happening, we will at times begin to waver. In our humanity, we doubt even if God hears our prayers. Maybe like me you can identify with the father of the possessed son in Mark 9 verse 24 when he said, “I do believe but help me overcome my unbelief.” (The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:24) There is no easy fix, magic wand, or special prayer that will automatically get you to trust in God other than doing the hard work to believe in God‘s character, believe in your history that you have with God, and believe the truth of the Gospel.
When we think about the word trust maybe Abraham comes to mind when he trusted God to lead him to a new land and to give him descendants as described in Genesis 12.
Maybe you think about Stephen in Acts 7 as he was trusting in God for deliverance while being martyred, seeing Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
From Daniel, Joseph, and Esther to Mary, the mother of Jesus, Timothy, and Cornelius, there are numerous eyewitnesses we can read about who trusted in God even when they couldn’t see what He was doing.
It is hard to trust God when you can’t see and remember God’s faithfulness. Jeremiah reminds us in Lamentations 3:22-23 that, “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.”
It’s difficult to trust God when you can’t see the way forward and don’t take a moment to reflect on His past blessings. Asaph reminds us of these blessings in Psalm 77 verses 11 and 12 by saying, “But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.” So, when we reflect on past blessings and recount the ways God has shown His faithfulness in our lives, it can serve as a powerful reminder of His ongoing presence and trustworthiness.
Taking time to reflect on how God has personally intervened, how He has provided, how He has protected you, your friends, or your family should serve as a powerful reminder that you can trust God, even when you can’t see it.