How to Trust God When Nothing Makes Sense: Biblical Ways to Keep Your Faith

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign. Hello, you are welcome to my podcast Wisdom Seeds. I am Pastor Steve Olofa. Stay blessed as you listen to this episode [00:00:30] Speaker B: wisdom. Seeds. Org how to trust God when nothing makes sense Biblical ways to keep your faith Today we are talking about one of the most difficult challenges in the Christian life. How do you trust God when nothing makes sense? Perhaps you are facing a situation you never expected. [00:00:47] Speaker C: You prayed, but the answer did not come. [00:00:50] Speaker B: You worked hard, but but the opportunity disappeared. You trusted someone, but they disappointed you. [00:00:57] Speaker C: You planned carefully, but everything fell apart. You asked God for direction, but the future still looks uncertain. And now you are asking God, what are you doing? Why did you allow this? [00:01:11] Speaker B: Why is this happening to me? How can I trust you when I do not understand you? [00:01:16] Speaker C: These are difficult questions, but the Bible teaches us something. Do not have to understand everything God is doing to trust who God is. [00:01:25] Speaker B: Faith does not mean that everything will always make sense. Faith means trusting God even when you cannot see the whole picture. 1. Trust God even when you do not understand. [00:01:40] Speaker C: Proverbs 3, 5:6 says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, submit to him and he will make your paths straight. Notice what this passage says 1 12th it does not say trust God only when you understand. [00:01:57] Speaker B: It says, lean not on your own understanding. There will be moments when your understanding is limited. [00:02:04] Speaker C: You may not understand why the door closed. [00:02:07] Speaker B: You may not understand why the answer has been delayed. You may not understand why God allowed the disappointment. [00:02:15] Speaker C: But your limited understanding does not mean God has lost control. [00:02:19] Speaker B: You see one moment. God sees the entire story. [00:02:24] Speaker C: You see the problem. God sees the purpose. You see the closed door. [00:02:31] Speaker B: God sees what lies beyond it. [00:02:33] Speaker C: Trust begins when you accept that God's wisdom is greater than yours. [00:02:41] Speaker B: 2 Remember that God's ways are higher than yours. [00:02:45] Speaker C: Isaiah 55:8 9 says, for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. [00:02:52] Speaker B: God does not think like we think. He sees what we cannot see. He knows what we do not know. [00:02:59] Speaker C: He understands the consequences of every decision. [00:03:03] Speaker B: Sometimes we ask God for one thing [00:03:05] Speaker C: because we believe it is best. [00:03:07] Speaker B: But God sees something we cannot see. 2:12 Sometimes what feels like a loss is actually protection. Sometimes what feels like a delay is preparation. Sometimes what feels like an ending is the beginning of something new. This does not mean that every painful experience will immediately make sense. Some questions may remain unanswered for a long time, but you can trust that God's wisdom is greater than your understanding. 3 Trust God's character not only his circumstances. [00:03:43] Speaker C: One reason our faith grows weak is that we judge God's goodness by our circumstances. [00:03:48] Speaker B: When life is going well, we say God is good. [00:03:51] Speaker C: But when life becomes difficult, we begin to question Him. The truth is that God's character does not change when your circumstances change. [00:04:00] Speaker B: God remains faithful. Even when you are waiting, God is still good. When you are hurting, God is still present. When you feel alone, God is still wise when you are confused. [00:04:12] Speaker C: Malachi 3:6 says I, the Lord, do not change. [00:04:16] Speaker B: Your circumstances can change in one day. Your emotions can change in one hour. [00:04:23] Speaker C: But God does not change. That is why your faith must be [00:04:26] Speaker B: built on God's character rather than your current situation. [00:04:34] Speaker C: Four look back at God's faithfulness. [00:04:36] Speaker B: When you are confused about the present, remember the past. [00:04:41] Speaker C: Think about the times God has helped you. [00:04:43] Speaker B: March 12 Think about the doors he opened. Think about the danger he protected you from. Think about the prayers he answered. [00:04:53] Speaker C: Think about the times you thought you would not survive. But but God brought you through. Psalm 77, verse 11 says, I will remember the deeds of the Lord. Yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. [00:05:05] Speaker B: Memory can strengthen faith. [00:05:07] Speaker C: Your current situation may be difficult, but it is not the first time God has been faithful. [00:05:13] Speaker B: The same God who helped you yesterday is still God today. [00:05:17] Speaker C: When you cannot see what God is doing, remember what God has already done. Five. Learn from Job. Faith can survive confusion. The story of Job teaches us that faith does not require an easy life. Job lost his wealth. He lost his children. He lost his health. [00:05:40] Speaker B: He experienced intense emotional pain, and he [00:05:43] Speaker C: did not understand why these things were happening. [00:05:46] Speaker B: Job Job asked difficult questions. [00:05:49] Speaker C: He grieved, he struggled. Yet he continued to wrestle with God rather than completely turning away from him. In Job 13, verse 15, he said, though he slay me, yet will I hope in him. Job did not understand his situation, but he continued to place his hope in God. [00:06:09] Speaker B: 4 out of 12 this is a powerful lesson. Sometimes faith is not saying I understand everything. [00:06:16] Speaker C: Sometimes faith is saying I do not understand, but I will still trust God. 6 Do not confuse God's silence with God's absence. [00:06:28] Speaker B: There are seasons when you pray and hear no immediate answer. You ask for guidance. [00:06:34] Speaker C: You ask for help. You ask for a breakthrough. [00:06:38] Speaker B: But nothing seems to happen. [00:06:40] Speaker C: You may begin to think God has forgotten me. [00:06:44] Speaker B: But silence does not necessarily mean absence. A parent may be silent while still being present. A teacher may be silent during a test. Sometimes God is working in ways you cannot see. [00:06:57] Speaker C: The Bible is filled with people who had to wait. [00:07:01] Speaker B: Abraham waited for God's promise. Joseph waited in prison. David waited before becoming king. [00:07:09] Speaker C: The Israelites waited for deliverance. Waiting can be difficult, but waiting does not mean God has abandoned you. [00:07:18] Speaker B: May 12. 7 Surrender your need to know everything Sometimes we struggle to trust God because we want complete explanations. We want to why did this happen? When will it end? What will happen next? How will everything work out? But God does not always give us every answer before asking us to take the next step. Faith requires surrender. [00:07:47] Speaker C: You may need to pray, lord, I do not understand everything, but I surrender my need to understand everything. [00:07:54] Speaker B: This does not mean that you stop asking questions. It means you stop making complete understanding a requirement for trust. [00:08:02] Speaker C: You can seek answers while still trusting God. Eight Stand on God's promises when life [00:08:12] Speaker B: is confusing, your feelings may change constantly, but God's promises remain firm. [00:08:18] Speaker C: Romans 8:28 says, and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him. [00:08:24] Speaker B: This verse does not say that everything that happens is good. Some things are painful, some things are unfair. Some things are deeply disappointing. [00:08:35] Speaker C: But God can work through all things for his purposes. [00:08:39] Speaker B: Isaiah 41:10 says, June 12 do not [00:08:42] Speaker C: fear, for I am with you. [00:08:44] Speaker B: Hebrews 13, verse 5 says, Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you. Psalm 23 reminds us that God is our shepherd. When you do not know what to [00:08:54] Speaker C: do, hold on to what God has already said. Nine. Continue obeying God one step at a time. [00:09:04] Speaker B: When you cannot see the entire path, ask what is the next step of obedience? You may not know what will happen next month, but you can obey God today. [00:09:15] Speaker C: You may not know how the entire [00:09:17] Speaker B: situation will work out, but you can choose honesty today. [00:09:22] Speaker C: You may not know where the journey will lead, but you can continue walking with God today. [00:09:28] Speaker B: Faith often means taking the next step without seeing the entire staircase. God may not show you everything at once, but he can give you enough light for the next step. [00:09:39] Speaker C: Psalm 119, verse 105 says, you, word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. [00:09:45] Speaker B: A lamp does not always illuminate the entire road. It gives you enough light to keep moving. 10. [00:09:55] Speaker C: Choose faith over fear. Fear often grows when the future is uncertain. Your mind begins creating terrible possibilities. [00:10:04] Speaker B: You imagine everything that could go wrong. [00:10:07] Speaker C: July 12 you begin worrying about situations that have not even happened. [00:10:12] Speaker B: But fear does not give you control over the future. [00:10:16] Speaker C: Only God holds the future. [00:10:18] Speaker B: Second Corinthians 5:7 says, for we live by faith, not by sight. Faith does not mean that you will never feel afraid. [00:10:27] Speaker C: It means you choose not to allow fear to become your master. You can say, I do not know what tomorrow holds, but I know God is already there. I do not know how this will work out, but but I know God is faithful. I do not understand the path, but I trust the One who leads me. 11 Remember that God can bring purpose from pain. [00:10:51] Speaker B: God does not waste the experiences of his children. [00:10:55] Speaker C: Romans 8:28 reminds us that he can work through all things. Your pain may eventually help you encourage someone else. [00:11:03] Speaker B: Your waiting may develop patience. [00:11:06] Speaker C: Your disappointment may teach you dependence on God. Your weakness may reveal God's strength. Your difficult season may become a testimony of God's faithfulness. [00:11:17] Speaker B: This does not mean you should pretend that pain is easy. It means you can believe that pain does not have to be meaningless. God can bring purpose from situations you never would have chosen. 12 Keep your eyes on Jesus. When everything around you is confusing, look to Jesus. [00:11:38] Speaker C: Hebrews 12, verse 2 tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus. [00:11:42] Speaker B: Aug 12 you2 circumstances are constantly changing. Your emotions are constantly changing, but Jesus remains the same. [00:11:52] Speaker C: He is faithful. [00:11:53] Speaker B: He is compassionate. [00:11:56] Speaker C: He is wise. [00:11:57] Speaker B: He is powerful. He understands suffering. He understands rejection. He understands grief. [00:12:07] Speaker C: He understands what it means to walk through difficulty. When you cannot understand what God is doing. Remember what God has already shown you through Jesus Christ. [00:12:17] Speaker B: God's love is not a theory. [00:12:19] Speaker C: It was demonstrated through Christ. [00:12:25] Speaker B: A prayer for trusting God Father Sometimes life does not make sense. Sometimes I do not understand what you are doing. I have questions. [00:12:36] Speaker C: I have fears. [00:12:38] Speaker B: I have experienced disappointments. [00:12:41] Speaker C: But today I choose to trust you. [00:12:44] Speaker B: Help me trust your wisdom when I cannot understand your ways. [00:12:48] Speaker C: Help me trust yout goodness when my circumstances are difficult. Help me remember your faithfulness when I feel discouraged. [00:12:56] Speaker B: Teach me to walk by faith and not by sight. Give me strength to obey youy one step at a time. [00:13:02] Speaker C: I surrender my fears, my questions and my future into youo hands. I may not understand everything, but I [00:13:09] Speaker B: choose to trust yout in Jesus name. Amen. Conclusion There will be seasons when life does not make sense. October 12th you may pray and still have questions. You may trust God and still experience disappointment. You may follow him and still face [00:13:31] Speaker C: difficulties, but you can continue trusting Him. [00:13:35] Speaker B: You do not have to understand everything God is doing you. [00:13:39] Speaker C: You need to remember who God is. He is faithful. He is wise. [00:13:45] Speaker B: He is good, he is present, he is sovereign. [00:13:50] Speaker C: When you cannot see the whole picture, trust the one who can. When you do not understand the path, hold on to God's hand. [00:13:58] Speaker B: When you cannot see the future, remember [00:14:00] Speaker C: that God is already there. Proverbs 3, 5, 6 reminds us, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. You may not understand what God is doing, but you can trust who God is. Faith does not require you to see the entire path. [00:14:17] Speaker B: It requires you to take the next step with God. [00:14:21] Speaker C: Related Wisdom Seeds resources related resources 30 Days to a Stronger Faith 365 Days of God's promises Strengthen the storm prayers that anchor the soul Related Episodes how to hear God's voice according to the Bible how to build a strong faith when life is difficult how to overcome doubt and strengthen your faith how to walk with God Every Day 7 Biblical Habits for a Closer Relationship with God November 12th if this episode encouraged you, consider sharing it with a friend or family member who could benefit from it. [00:14:49] Speaker B: December 12th.