#6 Choosing Trust

Stewart Bogle
Mar 26, 2024
6 min read

Updated: Apr 3

How to Trust God When Life Doesn't Make Sense

A good friend of mine once said to me, “Brother, there is a lie out there that life is what you make it. People rarely get to make it what they want. The truth is that life is how you take it because it comes at you in a rush, and you can’t always control it.” I know he’s right. Things happen in life that we don’t want, we can’t control, and we can’t always stop. These are things we didn’t plan, couldn’t prepare for, and would never have wanted if it was up to us. The trouble is, life is mostly not up to us—it's full of surprises and challenges. Things happen that we don't want, can't control, and can't stop

Sometimes one thing happens after another, and it feels like we might never find our feet again. It reminds me of times when you go body surfing in waves that keep tossing you around. You try to find the bottom with your feet and pop your head out above the surging waters only to find that another wave, sometimes even bigger, is about to hit and drag you under once again. You hold your breath time and time again and wonder when you’ll get a break or whether you'll ever make it back to the safety of the beach.

Trusting God When the Storm Won't Stop

In the end, the only real control we get in our lives is the way we respond when the storm comes, the waves toss us about, or we feel overwhelmed. If we could make life the way we wanted, there would be peace and safety and fun and health. That’s what we all want, but that’s not often the way life is. Things happen that toss us around and some of us face months and even years when the waves just won’t back off, so we either give up or we keep trying. There are times when I've just wanted God to pluck me from the waves. To send some supernatural way to rescue me— a heavenly helicopter lowering an angelic lifeguard to pull me from the waves. Sometimes that happens, but for me, mostly it hasn’t, and I take another deep breath and hold on.

"You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them." Maya Angelou

Finding Steady Ground When Life Pulls You Under

I could choose to give up and decide enough is enough. I could shake my fist at God and blame him for his apparent lack of interest and care for me because life’s not working out the way I’d hoped and planned. I think a better way is to keep searching for a solid spot to place my feet. Then, when I pop out of the surging current that’s taken hold of me, instead of shaking my fist, I wave my hand to let people know I need help but I’m ok. I’ll get through whatever life throws at me because I know I have people who care and a God who is never going to leave me alone in the troubled waters I’m in. I don’t know why God doesn’t pluck me from the waves, I’ve no real answer for why he allows all this. It’s not the way I would have written the script if I was the author of life, but I’m not, so I’m simply going to keep trusting Him.

What Trusting God Really Means

That sounds easy doesn't it? To repeat a familiar and well-worn phrase that, "I'm going to keep trusting Him." It's probably good to ask the question of what exactly am I trusting Him for? Now, that's worth exploring. Am I trusting that He is going to miraculously make everything work out for me? Am I trusting that He will provide a simple solution to my complex issues? Am I trusting that He will step in at the 11th hour and make all things right? That hasn't been my experience and for many of you it won't be yours either.

Choosing Trust in Troubled Waters

My trust is in a God who loves me no matter what. My trust is that He'll be with me through every dark valley and every raging storm and that he'll never leave me to face things on my own. And I'm trusting that whatever happens in my life is not a surprise to Him and that He knows exactly what I need even when I don't know what that is. The Bible says to 'Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding ....' (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV). So, even when I feel like I'm drowning in life and I really don't understand why, I'm going to keep doing my best to trust him with all of my heart. If I lean into my own understanding, I'll likely drown in the pain, confusion and fear, so I'm going to lean into his understanding and the belief that my God is right there with me in whatever waves I'm facing. May that be your experience too.

“Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

A Question to Reflect on.

In what ways is trying to make sense of what's happening exhausting you? How might you begin to lean into trusting God, knowing that He understands your situation?

From Reflection to Action: (These are just suggestions – maybe choose 1 or 2 to try)

Journal Your Moments of Trust – Reflect on a time when life knocked you off your feet and you somehow made it through. What helped you hold on? How did you see God working even when you couldn’t control the outcome? Write it down as a reminder of your resilience and God’s faithfulness.
Hold Onto What’s True – Start your day with a faith-filled reminder. Try: “God is with me even when I can’t see the way forward” or “I am not alone in this storm.” Reflect on Hebrews 13:5 — you are not abandoned, even when the storm feels endless.
Practice a ‘Letting Go’ Prayer – Each day, write down one thing you’re trying to control. Then pray over it, surrendering it to God. Ask Him to help you trust Him with the outcome, even when it’s hard to understand.
Create Space for Peace – When life feels overwhelming, find a way to get some rest. Whether it’s walking, reading, or sitting quietly with God, prioritize moments that calm your mind and body. This isn’t avoidance — it’s recovery.
Seek Wise Counsel – If you’re struggling to trust God in a certain area of life, reach out to someone whose faith you admire. Open up about what you’re facing and ask them to pray with you or share their perspective.
Find Strength in Stories – Feeling alone? Tune into stories of resilience and faith on the Resilient Souls podcast. Hearing how others have trusted God through life’s hardest moments can give you the courage to keep swimming.

Bible verses about trusting God in difficult times:

Psalm 46:1-3 (NIV): "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea."
Isaiah 41:10 (MSG): "Don't panic. I'm with you. There's no need to fear for I'm your God. I'll give you strength. I'll help you. I'll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you."
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV): "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."
Matthew 11:28-30 (CEV): "If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light."
Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV): "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Peter 5:7 (NIV): "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
John 14:27 (NIV): "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

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