“My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:7-8).
“Trust in [God] at all times . . .” I’ll admit, I don’t do that.
Instead, I fixate on my fears. I focus on whatever problems I’m currently facing or whatever hardships that my loved ones are experiencing. As I do, doubt begins to worm its way into my heart. Doubt that God knows what he’s doing. Doubt that God is loving and good and gracious for allowing these things to happen. Doubt that God is trustworthy, and his words are true. Doubt.
When I fixate on my fears and focus on whatever problems I or my loved ones currently face, I fail to trust in God at all times. But I’m also missing an incredible opportunity—one that the psalmist lays out at the end of the verses quoted above. I’m missing the opportunity to pour out my heart to God.
God invites us to pray to him, to pour our hearts out to him, not only in thanksgiving and praise, but also in supplication and—dare I say—frustration. To say, “God, I don’t know why you’re allowing these things to happen to me . . . to my loved ones. I’m frustrated with not knowing—forgive me for my doubt; forgive me for my fear—help me trust you!”
God doesn’t always tell us why he allows certain things to happen in our lives and the lives of our loved ones. But he always tells us who he is and who we are to him in his Word. He is loving. He is good. He is gracious. He is trustworthy, and his words are true. He’s our refuge. He’s our mighty rock. He’s our salvation. We’re his dearly loved children.
How do we know all of that despite the doubts and fears that sometimes overwhelm and distract us?
We know it by faith, given to us by the Holy Spirit. We know it because of the one who trusted in God at all times: Jesus. His perfect trust in God never wavered—not even for a single moment of his life. He trusted in God at all times throughout his whole life. That was for me and you, for all the times that we don’t trust in God.
By Jesus’ perfect life, innocent death, and triumphant resurrection, we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is with us and he is for us. He loves us with a love that works in our hearts and drives out doubt and fear. As we pour out our hearts to God, we have the opportunity to focus on him and his Word.
Dear Christian, we can always come before God with our prayers.
We can always pour out our hearts to him and know that he hears us and answers us for Jesus’ sake. We can always trust God to be who he says he is—and who he says we are to him. We can know who walks beside us every step of the way through life, all because of our Savior Jesus.
Reflecting on a father’s desperate plea from Mark 9:24, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Pastor John Covach realized he needed greater faith to get through the trials of life. Maybe you’ve voiced a similar plea: Lord, I believe in you, but life often overwhelms me. Doubt, fear, and worry—they constantly eat away at my trust in you. Help me overcome my unbelief. Help me trust you more!
In My 180: Trusting God More, Pastor Covach invites you to set out on a journey of discovery. Wherever you find yourself, pursue a confidence in God that life’s circumstances cannot shake and discover where deeply rooted trust can be found: in knowing who walks beside you every step of the way.
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Alex Brown is the marketing and content copywriter at Northwestern Publishing House. He has his Master of Divinity degree from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and enjoys reading, writing, and spending time in God’s creation.
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