When life gets messy, it’s easy to get stressed. Or angry. Or bitter.
But most of the time we’re in the middle of a mess, God wants to sharpen us, mold us, and transform us. So we might as well respond the way He desires so we can get out of the mess, don’t you think?
As I was writing my newest book, When God Sees Your Tears, I realized there’s lots of reasons to trust God in the middle of the mess. Stress kills, so save your health, pass the test, and please God by trusting Him in the middle of the mess.
Here are 6 reasons to trust, not stress, when you’re in the middle of the mess:
- Your situation didn’t take God by surprise. Just because it caught you off guard, doesn’t mean that God was clueless, too. Trust what He already knows.
- God is much more capable of managing your life than you are. So surrender to the proper authority.
- God can, at any time, clear up the mess. So wait for His timing and learn all He wants you to learn in the moment.
- God is incapable of misunderstanding, mismanagement, or mistakes. You, on the other hand, are fully capable of making an even greater mess of things.
- God already has the problem solved. It’s possible He’s working on something inside you right now, and then He’ll take care of your exterior situation.
- A messy situation is one of the primary ways God awakens our need for Him, grows our dependence on Him, shapes our character, and draws us closer to Himself.
There are a lot more reasons to trust God in the middle of a mess. I’d love to hear YOUR reason. Would you add one or two in the comment section below?
July 8, 2014
28 Comments
on 6 Reasons to Trust God in the Middle of a Mess.
Leave a Comment
Your feedback is valuable for us. Your email will not be published.
My mess is that they cut my hours 50% on my job and collecting partial unemployment. Yes I do have a roof over my head and still have a job. It’s enough to pay my rent and that’s it. Not enough to pay my bills. I’m still trusting on God.
I know exactly how that feels, Diane. My husband resigned from the pastorate at the end of the year and we are going on 7 months of him making about 75 percent less than he did before. We are having to watch for God’s provision at every turn, but I’m able to say He has been faithful even when we haven’t been. Keep trusting Him. I’m right there with you. 🙂
I feel like my life has been a mess for a while now. I’m praying for the grace to learn what I need to learn while feeling stuck. My most current situation I need to trust God in is recently saying goodbye to my sister and nephew from Romania. I have 5 nephews and a niece in Romania and we were surprised by a two week visit from my sister and one of my nephews. She married a wonderful man who tries to get her home every 2 to 3 years. When we say goodbye, I never know how long it will be before we are reunited. The last time, two years went by. I’m trusting that God is already working out the details and finances for our next visit. I miss being an up close aunt but God has blessed us with a fantastic relationship despite the miles and we always have fun visits filled with laughter and love despite the years that pass in between.
Thanks, Angela, for sharing this with us.
I’m trusting God in the midst of my family mess. My husband, who was such a great husband and father to our 4 kids has left, filed for divorce(soon to be final), trapped in the generational sins of divorce, adultery and alcoholism, like his own dad.
As a stay at home mom for all these years , I have to get a full time job.
I know this hasn’t caught God off guard, but it certainly has me & kids. But, I trust God as He never leaves me. I take it step by step and day by day along with a God who loves me.
Kathleen: Thank you for taking the time to let me know how I can pray for your situation. Life doesn’t seem fair when we are impacted so severely by another person’s sin. Yet, God knew it was coming and I believe He is already providing a job for you, one that will be perfect for you and allow you to see His provision and protection through all of this. I’m glad you are taking this step-by-step and day-by day. And you are right, God is right there alongside you and He loves you just as much as He did before all this happened.
Thanks for this, perfect timing. My boss was fired from a coaching job and it’s tearing her up. She thought the position was an opportunity in the center of God’s will! I can’t wait to share this with her!
Thanks, Elizabeth, for thinking of your boss and wanting to share this with her.
I can attest to all of the above. My family had a very long period of financial stress a number of years back. I remained strong in my faith and my prayer life and we always had everything we needed. Sometimes at the last minute and sometimes I would receive very blatant answers to prayer. It is easy to forget about God’s good grace, but I keep reminding myself everyday. Life is still not that easy, but I stay strong in my faith and pray a lot! I also find that journaling helps tremendously to see how God continues to bless us, even in the midst of trials!
Yes, journaling!! Where would I be without that? In fact, so much of the Scripture verses, insights, and what God has taught me that I include in my books comes right out of my journals. It’s a constant reminder of what He continues to do in and through our lives, isn’t it? Thanks for mentioning that, Dawn. And you brought up another great point…financial concerns are no problem for our God. (What is money to the One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills?) Our financial concerns are usually just ways He is looking to show us Who He is and the great things He can do. I will contact you, Dawn, when I’m ready to write that book on trusting God with our finances. : ) It’s been on my heart now, for years.
I was reading through your blog post again and see that you have been thinking about writing a book on God and finances. It seems that you have been getting sent the message to do so. The one thing that I have learned the past number of years is that I tend to fight what I get sent even after praying about it and then I get almost plummeted into doing something. So, I think that when you are done writing your most recent book, you should just do it! Whatever questions you may have for me, I will gladly answer. I have seen the power of prayer and God’s good grace in my life numerous times. Have a blessed day, the weather in the Northeast is absolutely beautiful today!
Thanks for the encouragement, Dawn. 🙂
Wow, what perfect timing….Yes I trust God and praise him through the storm….mess oh my.Single and finding your bank account is overdrawn 500.00 and no income for over a week since i am self supporting I can only trust God my employer for some restoration of losses to cover my errors.God has a plan and I stand on the rock solid Jesus, my mess is His. He through the Holy Spirit will help me find the answer and solution….the sun will shine again, all this only if I stand and don’t quit. Trust even when I cannot see any immediate change. I submit and surrender yeilding to the Holy Spirit to lead and guide me through all circumstances and situations.I thank God for all I do have and pray for divine wisdom to never have this happen again.My error is not my doom, but my lesson…and in the end my victory over finances. I rest safe in my Fathers arms..
Thank you, Juanita, for sharing how God still comes to our aid even when we are the ones who mess up. I appreciate your honesty. And yes, the sun will shine again. : )
I have been in a messy situation for several years. My ex is now fighting for custody of our son. He lives in another state. It was been lie after lie. My current husband of 5 years wants a divorce. He has had enough of it.
All I have is God’s provisions and His promises. I have to trust in His word or I would fall apart. Only God can heal this situation and stop the other family from any more damage. God has been my strength and refuge as I wait for His Plans.
Oh, Sherry, I’m sorry at what you’ve been battling through. I’m glad to hear you say “All I have is God’s provisions and His promises.” Sometimes we have to get to that point first in order to experience His joy and peace in the midst of the crud that’s going on. You’re right He can heal your situation. Keep waiting on Him for your strength and refuge. I love how Psalm 31:3 says “Since you are my rock (not my rollercoaster) and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me…” You are His. And for His name’s sake, He will lead you in all of this. Praying for you this morning, that you will experience His deliverance in a mighty way.
After 10 years of marriage and 2 kids and gettin a good job, unfortunately out of town for 5 days at a time, only thing I looked forward to was my family when I came home. My wife had other ideas. She said she simply didn’t love me any more. She planned on gettin child support and any thing she could out of me. I was a wreck. I had to go out of town again and felt there was nothing I could do. When I got a job offer in town making a lot less money and no guarantee of future work I took a risk and love my new job in town even with the risks. I now have my kids full time and got to see my wife’s true colors. After a couple months and a couple boyfriends she is tryin to see the kids again. Every time I see no hope, at the very last minute something good happens to me. I over looked it for a long time and realized I owed someone a big thank you. Keep your head up and try to stay positive, clear the bad thoughts, and good things seem to happen. I am nowhere close to where I want to be but know God has a plan for me.
Thank you for reading and commenting. I agree that God has a plan for you. The first step is acknowledging that He has been helping you, as you did. The next step is to surrender your life to Him. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” God’s blessings to you as you lean on Him for help. : )
The mess I am currently struggling with is how to love my parents as they are becoming increasingly demanding (or expecting) my family and me to do everything the way they think it “needs” to be done even when my family and I see it differently. They have always been very controlling and I have been working for the past 25 years to deal with the relationship in healthier ways. Through faith and therapy, I had made a lot of progress. But 15 years ago my only brother (and sibling) was killed in a a car accident at the age of 27. My father has never been able to move on and I long so desperately to help him find peace and hope but never have been able to. Much of the work I had done in therapy was undone because I fell back into unhealthy patterns (no boundaries) after this happened. I continue to pray God’s wisdom, courage and discernment as his health continues to decline and his needs become greater. I can see this is taking a toll on my own family and I feel caught in the middle. I am continuing to pray and remember to put my trust in God alone but it can be so very difficult.
Thank you, Sandee, for sharing how God is working in you through all of that. Keep leaning on His wisdom. It’s a day to day trust and surrender, isn’t it?
Yes, surrender. . .
This is my mess. Being widowed at aged 29 and about four years now with kids. I work hard to meet our needs, it’s so painful & frustrating but I am not giving up on God because I know & believe He has not given up on me.
Seun, thank you for sharing a comment. You’re right, God has not given up on you. Even if you can’t see what He’s doing in your life, trust Him. That is the essence of faith. Blessings to you, friend.
Finances. In the beginning we struggled from our own mistakes. No one ever taught either of us about handling money. We both came from parents that SPENT! Then it was my husband’s job loss, again and again and again. Then mine, both jobs in one week. We have put in the correction with our kids in teaching about money and so far, so good. We were just talking the other day that for the duration of our marriage, almost 32 years now, we have lived very simply and still struggled financially. We know God is in control and your 6 reasons couldn’t be more on target. Thank you Cindi 🙂 Again, Psalm 46:10 ” Be still and know that I am God”.
Thanks, Chery, for sharing that. I’ll remember to talk to you when I write that book on trusting God with your finances. 🙂
I was so glad to see this today. My son and I are struggling really hard. Hardly have money for food, behind in rent and bills. When I lost my job last year we became homeless. Only could take what fit in my car. So we have no furniture but we have a roof over our heads. My son tries really hard, taking whatever jobs he can. I can’t work, sleeping on the floor has made my back worse. We pray every day that God will help us. please pray too
You and your son are in my prayers today, Karen. Praying that you can reach out to others who know you (family, perhaps?) and also get some local resources to help you get in a more stable situation.
Thank you so much. No family or friends near us.