Have you ever felt unsure about which decision to make? Or perhaps you feel fearful that the decisions you have made weren’t the best. You play out the options in your mind, but you feel paralyzed—stuck and unable to move forward.
Maybe you’ve lain in bed at night, concerned about the future. You’ve played over scenarios in your mind, trying to come up with the perfect solution.
Uncertainty is all around us. Although we live in an information-overloaded culture, we’re not benefiting. It seems that though there’s more advice than ever, we’re more uncertain than ever. Instead, we’re growing in weariness and overwhelm.
The writer of Proverbs gave us beloved advice: “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” (Proverbs 3:5–6).
As a young girl of 12, I chose these as my life verses. Trust was never easy for me; I wrestled with the concept often. Yet I kept returning to the idea that if I could relax, trust God, and submit to Him, He would be the director of my path in life.
What exactly is trust? I believe it is the ability to relax in Jesus, understanding that He holds all of life in His hands. It’s a deep knowing that God is good and that He has our best interests in mind. Trust is what Jesus was talking about when He invited us to come to Him and find rest for our souls in Matthew 11:28–29. The only way to find that rest and deep security is through the tunnel of trust.
How do we make trust practical? That’s the million-dollar question! Here are a few ideas that have helped me greatly.
Memorize Proverbs 3:5–6
What you memorize will come back to mind when you need it. “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” (Proverbs 3:5–6).
Fill Your Mind with the Goodness of God
Praise helps me do this. As I praise and worship God because He is good, faithful, loving, and kind, the Holy Spirit strengthens my trust muscles. One way to do this is to memorize Scriptures that speak to God’s character. Another way is to create a playlist of music on your phone that prompts you to worship.
Create a Remembrance List
Looking back and remembering the times when God has been faithful is a great way to refresh our thinking about trust. If God has been faithful and loving in the past, you can rest and trust Him to be faithful tomorrow. The psalmist reminds us in Psalm 77:11–12 that we are to remember the goodness of the Lord. When we choose to remember, we strengthen our trust muscles.
Surrender to God’s Perfect Wisdom
Don’t depend on your ability to understand. When I feel like I don’t understand God’s ways, I open my hands and surrender. I let go of control and remind myself—by declaring out loud—that God’s wisdom is far above mine. I settled a long time ago that God’s ways are far beyond my understanding. I will not be able to understand all of what He allows, but I have a choice: I can decide that my way is better, or I can submit to His way.
Lean into Faith-Filled Community
I love my friends! I have friends who have walked with Jesus for a long time. They have trusted Him through difficult—and at times impossible—challenges. When I feel like I’m wrestling to trust, having lunch with a friend or talking on the phone can be a huge bolster to my faith. When I am in my church, worshiping Jesus with other believers, my faith is strengthened. We need each other in our trust journey. We were never meant to journey alone.
Friend, may I encourage you? Memorize Proverbs 3:5–6, fill your mind with the goodness of God, create a remembrance list, surrender to God’s perfect wisdom, and finally, lean into faith-filled community.
Becky Harling
