When Trust Is Hard

“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

One cold January day while Peter was eating home-cooked stew with his wife and kids, he shared a concept he’d heard about on the radio. “You pick one word that you’ll use to guide you through the upcoming year. I thought it’d be cool if we did that as a family this year.”

His wife loved the idea and encouraged their children to think up the word they should choose.

After a round of suggestions, Lexi his daughter grinned, “What about trust? You said our home’s foundation is Proverbs 3:5.”

So, Peter and his family chose the word ‘Trust’ for the year. They were surprised to see it come up again and again as the months passed.

“My wife didn’t get the job she wanted and God told us to trust. So we did and God opened up a position for her at another company with better benefits and less commute time.” Peter explained.

“We saw it work with Lexi. She tried out for cheerleading then cross-country running. She didn’t get into either one. But God reminded us to trust. A few weeks later, God brought a wonderful vocal coach into Lexi’s life. If she’d been busy with those other activities, she wouldn’t have time to work on her singing.”

Sometimes, things don’t work out the way we’d hoped. That might mean losing out on a job you wanted, not getting to participate in an activity you love or missing out on a special trip. But rest assured that God is working behind the scenes for you, His beloved child.

God, sometimes I’m disappointed with the way a situation happens. But when those moments come, help me to remember to trust in You. I know You’re always working on my behalf. I love you, Father. In Jesus’ name, Amen.