How to Trust God in the Middle of Uncertainty

It is easy to trust God when things are going well. It is much more difficult to trust him when you’re dealing with uncertainty. However, it is even more important to trust him in times like these. God is our anchor and firm foundation when the storms of life are raging all around us. He is trustworthy even if nothing else is. If you are struggling to trust God in the middle of uncertainty, here are three things to remember.

When it looks like there’s no way out

A few weeks ago, I checked my online student loan servicer and found out that my deferment period was ending in four days and that I actually had more loans due than I initially thought. I freaked out. I couldn’t afford my payments. I was only working a part time retail job and did not make nearly enough to cover my monthly payments. I felt stuck and unsure of what to do. 

I’d have to start looking for a full time job in an industry I wasn’t sure I wanted to work in anymore. I had dreams of traveling to Italy to pursue a Master’s Degree in Museum Studies. I guess that would be put on hold too. 

Pushed in a direction I didn’t want to go, I started applying for full time positions in the industry I went to school for. It wasn’t the solution I wanted but it would work. 

However, I still had one problem. I would need my loans deferred for another few months while I searched for a full time job. Except, it was pretty unlikely. I made lots of calls and tried everything I could.

My plans failed and I was left in the middle of uncertainty

Let me explain. I don’t come from a wealthy family. Honestly, we’ve struggled a lot. But, I knew that my education and future career could be the way out of financial struggle. I graduated at the top of my class and still struggled.

In my mind, it wasn’t supposed to be this way. I worked so hard, why would God let me struggle? It was a struggle to even land that part time job and it proved to be just as much of a struggle to land a full time position. 

My perfect plans failed and I was left in the middle of uncertainty, unsure of what to do. I didn’t want to pursue a full time position because that would destroy my dreams of pursuing my Master’s Degree. I thought about going for the Master’s Degree since it would be a legitimate way to defer my loans further but the program started next fall and I also wasn’t sure if I wanted to jump right into it. It was a huge risk and would bring about many sudden changes in my life. 

The fear in my heart was not of God

Truthfully, I had no idea what to do. I wished it were easier. I started to allow negative thoughts to creep into my heart. Maybe I shouldn’t have gone to college in the first place? Will I ever pay off my high student loan debt? Will I ever be successful? Will I always struggle? 

I had to pause for a second. The fear in my heart was not of God. God’s promises over my life were still true. He still had a plan for me even if it didn’t look like I expected. 

How to Trust God in the Middle of Uncertainty

Here are three things that helped me to trust God when I was dealing with uncertainty. I pray they help you too. 

1. You stand firmly on God’s promises

When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,  saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

Hebrews 6:13-15

That’s what Abraham did, that’s what I’m choosing to do, and that’s what I recommend you do as well. God never goes back on his promises. The Bible says that no word spoken from the mouth of God will return empty. It will do exactly what God intended it to do. When God spoke success over my life, it meant he intends to accomplish it no matter what. Just because I can’t see it yet doesn’t mean it won’t happen.

Think about Abraham’s promise. God not only promised Abraham a son, he promised to make him the father of many nations. Yet, Abraham and his wife Sarah couldn’t even conceive a child. When life looks different from your promise, it’s natural to start to think maybe God made a mistake. But he doesn’t make mistakes. His timeline is simply just not the same as ours.

2. You let go of the need to be in control

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

Proverbs 16:9

This is a big one. It’s challenging to trust God in the middle of uncertainty because we are so used to being in control. I had a plan for how my life would turn out but God had another plan. I needed to step back and release control so that God could work in me as he pleased.

God at work in our lives won’t always look pleasant. It can be very painful at times and even very uncertain. But, God’s work in our lives will always produce good. Even if times are challenging, he promises to be with us. 

We can depend on him during uncertain times. Don’t try to do everything on your own. Lean into his presence and trust him for direction. He will never lead you astray. 

3. You choose faith instead of fear

Uncertain situations tend to bring fear. Fear comes when our norm is shaken and we don’t know what will happen next. The fear I felt was so real. It wanted to immobilize me. But here’s what God reminded me of in that moment: what is uncertain with man is certain with God. Even though I don’t know what will happen next, God knows. That simply means I have nothing to worry about.

This reminds me of the time Jesus peacefully calmed a raging storm that was terrifying his disciples. It was dark, they were on a boat and everything was good and perfect. Jesus was sleeping in the bottom of the boat while the disciples were on the upper level. Out of nowhere, the winds started getting stronger and rain started pouring down. Lightning started flashing and thunder was rolling. Well, that’s what I imagine the storm was like. It kind of reminds me of life actually. One moment everything can be smooth sailing and the next, you can be in a deadly storm. The crazy thing is that during all this commotion, Jesus never woke up. He was still, sleeping soundly in the bottom of the boat.

What kind of man is this?

Now the disciples started thinking “What kind of man is this? How is he sleeping in this storm?” Then they woke him up yelling, “Jesus, why are you letting us die in this storm? Why don’t you help us?” That’s how I feel sometimes. Everything looks chaotic and I can’t hear a word from God. But you know what, Jesus knew something they didn’t know. He had something they didn’t have. He knew they would make it to the other side safely. So there was no need to worry about it.

When you’re facing uncertain situations, let God’s truth be your anchor. Your situation may seem rocky, but God’s hand is firm. He holds you and covers you from all harm. You don’t have to worry when he’s with you. Even though you may not know your next move, he does. No matter what the struggle is, it gets better. God is good and he is with you. That’s enough of a reason to trust him.