How to Trust God More Deeply
Our relationship with Christ is ever-evolving. Ever deepening.
That is, if we allow it.
Every time I think I have trusted God enough for a season, He challenges me to trust Him more. It’s never comfortable, and sometimes I find myself frustrated and angry with Him rather than appreciative.
But I am slowly learning to be grateful for these challenges the Lord allows. They show me He wants to go deeper with me. This is an incredible gift. [Tweet ” Jesus trusts me to go deeper with him.”] He loves me so much that he takes me deeper than I ever wanted to go with him. How incredible!
Trusting
This past year our family struggled financially. In many ways, it was the worst year of our lives.
We met great adversity at every turn. We lost our health. We lost our home. We lost some friends. We lost our income for eight months.
Despair threatened to overtake us. We felt like we were drowning.
But Jesus showed up.
Every time I found myself at the end of my rope over how a bill would be paid or how my children would eat, God intervened at the last moment and showed us His glory.
The Lord takes us deeper into trust. He gives us intimate knowledge of His heart for us. It’s exhilarating. It’s incredible. It’s exhausting. It’s a wild ride.
While last year was the most difficult of our lives physically, it was the best year of our lives spiritually.
Recently, the Lord asked my husband and me to trust Him even more. To go deeper yet. To let go of more of our lives. I don’t want to.
If I am honest, I have to admit I am terrified.
Walking on Water
Have you heard the worship song Oceans by Hillsong United?
Churches around the world sing this song every Sunday morning. It plays on Christian radio stations daily. But do we really believe the declarations we make when we sing it?
I enjoy this song immensely. Throughout our hard year, I found myself truly worshiping and emotionally declaring my trust in the Lord every time I heard it.
That is, until I asked myself some difficult questions:
Do I really want the Lord to take me deeper, to where I have to trust that I can walk on water?
Do I really believe He will not fail me?
Do I really believe He won’t let the waves overtake me?
Do I really believe I can walk on water?
Like Peter, I begin to question if Jesus is crazy to tell me to walk on the water. I begin to doubt, and I start to sink, yelling for him to save me. (See Matt. 14:22-33.)
But this is part of the lesson—the sinking. It is part of the trust. Even when I start to sink, Jesus proves he is for me. When I call out to him, he extends his hand and pulls me back into the boat with grace until I regain the courage to take another step out onto the water.
Surrendering
Experiencing the depths of Christ requires more than prayer and Scripture study; it calls for total surrender to him. You must have a fresh attitude toward yourself as well as toward the Lord.
To practice deeper trust in the Lord, you have to begin to surrender your whole life, giving it up to God. You must believe that the circumstances of your life—that is, every minute of your life, both the good and bad—are all in God’s hands, that He will use everything for your good in the end (Rom. 8:28).
The believer who knows how to surrender herself to the Lord will be better able to obey His will in all circumstances.
Questions to ask yourself:
Am I trusting the Lord with my life as it is now? Where do I need to let go?
Am I willing to surrender my dreams, my goals, and my life out of the belief that the joy which comes from trusting God and His plans for me will exceed the joy of achieving any of these plans I have made on my own?
Brianna George is a speaker, teacher, and missionary as well as a part-time writer and full-time encourager. She lives in central Tennessee with her husband, two spicy little boys, and Bosa the boxer.
I needed ths deeply. I’ve been struggling a lot with having faith in His goodness and Him providing all we need lately, and it’s true; He is a good God and will give me what I need every time. Maybe it’s not what I thought I needed or what I wanted but He has this. I’m so thankful I read this this morning.
Same sister. Just reading this. So found your response. It has been awhile. I pray that your walk has been loving and fruitful
I know exactly how you feel with the financial hardship. My husband and I lost everything last year. This year we found God again and it has been non-stop blessings ever since. Beautiful post! God bless!
This is beautiful. I love that song as well and it is so true after I first heard it I thought the same thing- Do I really want the Lord to take me deeper. Everything you have said is so so so true! Many times it seems hard to remember that he will lift us up. That his plan is for our good. I’m sharing this on social media! It will speak to many! God bless!
It is so HARD to give up what we think we want for our lives and TRUST Him.
I’m thankful that we have past provisions to look back on and help us to trust Him for the future. that still doesn’t make it easy though.
Oh sister!! Rocking post!! Thank you!
“The believer who knows how to surrender herself to the Lord will be better able to obey His will in all circumstances.”
I tell people all the time that the secret to our spiritual growth!!!
Surrender is certainly easier to sing about than actually do!
I can so relate to this. Last year was a huge stretch for us as well, but God is faithful. You asked some tgought provoking questions which I think we al should consider. Do we really want God to take us beyond the shore into deep trust? Great post, very encouraging!
We have been going through some tough times the past 8 months and right now I feel like I am starting to sink but as I start I recatch my attention on Jesus and focus back on his promises. This life isn’t supposed to be easy, but God did promise he would be with us and taking care of us along the way. That I can trust!