Trusting the Unseen God

Stop trying to do life in your own strength—surrender your plans to the Lord, and watch Him clear the path to your breakthrough!

Psalm 119:105 promises, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Too often, we want a lamp that will illuminate our path for miles ahead when the Lord only promises that we’ll have His direction for the next step we must take.

Just think of Abraham, known as “the father of all those who believe” (Romans 4:11). When God called him to take a step of faith, “He went out, not knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8). Step by step, he was willing to trust the Lord and follow His plan, even when he didn’t know all the details of where that plan would lead.

When we face times of uncertainty, though, it can be tempting to take back the reins of our life from God. Abraham and Sarah did this when they devised a plan to have a child through Sarah’s maid Hagar (Genesis 16). That idea made perfect sense to them at the time, but their decision has had dire consequences even to this day. Where did they go wrong? They were trusting in their own ingenuity and fleshly ability rather than in the plan of God.

If you find that you’ve gotten off track like Abraham and Sarah did, it’s time to go back to the first step in the process of discovering God’s will. Surrender your life, desires, hopes, dreams, gifts, and talents to Him once again. Spend time in His presence, asking Him to reveal His plan. But remember: You’re unlikely to hear clearly from the Lord until you’ve fully committed yourself to doing His will—no matter what it is!

As you devote yourself to discovering God’s plan, your faith will be stretched at times, challenging you to trust Him for breakthroughs in your life and the lives of your loved ones. Your understanding of the Lord’s plan should be growing day by day as you pray, study His Word, listen to wise counsel, ask Him to reveal areas of sin, and continually surrender to His will.

One thing that will keep you anchored and grounded in life is to keep growing in your understanding of God’s overall plan and purpose. Look at Paul’s prayer for the Colossians to be “filled with the knowledge of His will”:

We … have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might (Colossians 1:9–11 NASB).

When you know God’s will and walk in His wisdom, Paul says you will please the Lord “in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work.” In addition, God will strengthen you “according to His glorious might.” Isn’t that the kind of life you want?

Scriptures to meditate on this month:

Week One
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6

Week Two
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

Week Three
And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
Psalm 9:10

Week Four
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9