How To Lean on God When You Don’t Have All the Answers

Hi friends, do you struggle to trust God when you are looking for answers to the hard things in life? Do you feel like it’s your responsibility to “make things right” for yourself and your loved ones? How can you hand these worries off to God and go on living a carefree life? Wouldn’t that mean that you don’t even care? How can you trust God to take care of your and your loved one’s best interests? How would you even go about giving your worries to Him? Is there any peace to be had in this life?

Christians, like everyone else, go through challenging circumstances and difficult times. God uses our problems to shape our character into who He created us to be through the lifelong process of sanctification. We can trust God in the midst of our troubles because He has promised to care for us. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6: 25-27)

God has made a provision for every circumstance we encounter. When we are new in our faith, or we haven’t yet developed an understanding of our relationship with God, who He is, and how He works in our lives, we look for answers to our problems. We expect to find a way out. As we mature in our faith, we grow in the realization and acceptance that He usually doesn’t lead us out of our circumstances, but rather helps us through them.

When I was a young, single mother of two, I dealt with a season of debilitating anxiety. I worried over everything. So much so that I had to seek help and find answers. I read self-help books and listened to cd’s. I read my Bible. I listened to sermons. Eventually I learned how to discern what is mine to take care of and what is God’s.

Identify What Is Worring You

So I ask you, what is worrying you? Do you have the power to change it or is it out of your control? If this concept is new to you, it may help to make a list that you can revisit. Use it as a reminder when worries pop up. Pray about it and ask for discernment.

Make Changes Where Appropriate

If you identify areas where you need to make changes, ask yourself which changes align with God’s Word. Prayerfully ask Him for the grace to make the change as you do your part. With God, you are able. He will “equip you with everything good for doing His will” (Hebrews 13:21). He will give you the grace to do what you cannot do on your own. “God works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure”(Philippians 2:13). The good news is you don’t have to change on your own- He is happy to help!

Let Go and Let God

If you are worrying about things that are out of your control, give them to God. This may sound counterintuitive. We want to hold onto control and fix problems ourselves. As we mature in faith we begin to realize that faithfully handing our problems off to God is truly the best thing we could do for ourselves and our loved ones. How can we trust that He will work on our behalf?

Reassurances

Let’s take a look: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). This means if you love God and are in agreement with His purposes (to sanctify you and to glorify Himself), then you are eligible to receive this promise. It means that whatever happens in life- God will use it to benefit you in accordance with His will! Problems will arise, but God will use them for good!

“For the Lord God is sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless” (Psalm 84:11). Does that blameless part scare you the way it used to scare me? Don’t worry friend! God knew you weren’t perfect before He created you! To be blameless you simply have to be forgiven, to be in right standing with God. We can do that!

So now that we know that God uses everything that happens- good and bad- to bless us and grow us, how do we go about surrendering all to Him?

Surrender All to Him

Surrendering our problems to God simply means that we give them to God in prayer. Speak the truth of His Word over your life and circumstances. Allow your heart and mind to rest while you trust Him to work! “Don’t worry about anything: instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done” (Philippians 4:6). Worries can be persistent and pop up again and again. Each time they do- pray about it and change your thoughts to things you can control. As you grow in faith you will realize the many times that God has held you in the palm of His hand and kept you safe. You realize how little control we actually have in life. I can leave on time and I can drive carefully, but ultimately I have no control over my circumstances- other drivers, obstacles along the way, road conditions... The more you realize how much God has kept you safe thus far, the easier it is to hand Him your future.

Peace While You Wait

Now what? Hopefully I’ve answered most of your questions. But is there any peace to be had in this life? Friends, if you are like me and wear your heart on your sleeve, it can feel like there is no rest for the weary, but that’s simply not true. Once again, God has made a provision for us! He has already given us a measure of peace! “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” (John 14:27). He also promises rest for our souls: “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). And finally...

Why Must I Wait?

I want to give you an understanding of why we must wait, a reason to trust why God’s timing is better than our own. We know that God uses our circumstances to build our character and maturity. We know He is working all things together for our good. (I hope you will meditate on those scriptures until the sink into your marrow). We even know some things to do while we wait. But the question lingers: why the wait? I'll discuss God's perfect timing more in my next post, Biblical Encouragement for Women Who Are Waiting on God.