How To Trust God When You Don’t Understand His Plan

Leaning on Our Own Understanding

Do you trust God when you don’t understand his plan or do you lean on your own understanding? The bible instructs us not to lean on our own understanding (see Proverbs 3:5-6). We lean on our own understanding because of self-reliance/pride, and fear of losing control. We can be deceived into thinking that our own efforts are our primary reasons for success. Also, we may believe that if we control the outcomes, it will alleviate the anxiety of not knowing what will happen next. The story of Abraham (Abram), Sarah (Sarai) and Hagar is an example of what happens when we lean on our own understanding.

God promised Abraham that He would give him and Sarah a son (see Genesis 16). He told Abraham that Sarah would conceive in her old age. Instead of trusting God, Sarah leaned on her own limited understanding and offered up Hagar (her handmaiden) to Abraham as a way for God to fulfill His promise to them of a son. Hagar did conceive a son, but he was not the son of promise. Sarah eventually conceived in her old age just as God said. There are consequences when our human efforts get in the way of God’s plan. The consequences of Sarah’s actions are still present today.

a dvine wisdom that is higher than ours

Genesis 1 tells us of how God (the Creator), in all of His divine wisdom, created the heavens and the earth. He created everything with a purpose. Each one of us is but a piece of the puzzle in God’s master plan.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare Or peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. ‘
Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

God gave this promise to the children of Israel after He exiled them from Jerusalem and sent them into captivity to Babylon as punishment for their disobedience and failure to observe Sabbath rest for the land. Even in the midst of their captivity, God declares to them that He already has a plan for them beyond their captivity and it is a good plan. At the end of the prophesied 70 years of captivity, God provided a way for them to return to Jerusalem just as He had promised. In the scriptures you see God’s faithfulness even when we mess up.

Trust comes through relationship. How many of us would trust someone with our life whom we didn’t know? Yes, there are exceptions to this rule such as getting on a plane when you don’t know the pilot, etc. Our most intimate relationships are developed by spending time getting to know a person. It is the same with God because He desires a relationship with us. The more we know Him, the more we trust Him.

When you find yourself struggling to trust God’s plan, use the methods below to help you build your faith in Him.

1. Recognize His sovereignty. Acknowledge that He is God and He is always in control (see Isaiah 46:10). The bible declares God is Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent.
2. Get to know His character. God is consistent. The bible declares, that He does not change, He is faithful, He works all things together for our good, He has good plans for you, He is always with you, and He is your provider.
3. Understand His love for you. His love is unconditional. He is patient with us.
4. Surrender Control and don’t Lean on your own understanding. Be intentional about not trying to control outcomes.
5. Remember His Faithfulness in past situations. God is faithful when we are not. Recount the times in you past where God showed up for you.
6. Take Steps of Faith. The more you step out in faith, even with the small things, the more your confidence in Him grows.
7. Rest in His Promises. God keeps His promises through generations. Gather a list of scriptures that declare God’s promises and meditate on them.

A Yielded Life is a life that pleases God!

This content was not created by AI.