How to Know and Trust God’s Will for You

Do you worry about the future? Have you ever struggled to trust God's will? These 5 Steps will help you know and trust His plans for your future. #Faith #Trust #God'sWill #Hope #Fearless #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers

One of the hardest sentences in my life has been…

“Lord, not my will but Yours be done.”

I’ve had more than a few times when I’ve gone into and through things kicking and screaming that seemed to be God’s will, or at the least, they were things He allowed!

Honestly, the idea of completely surrendering my life to the Lord terrified me.

Jesus said…

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. (John 16:33)
You will be hated because you are my followers. (Matthew 24:9)
I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. (John 15:19)
If you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:28)

I also looked around and witnessed the ways the enemy attacked God’s children.

Because of my weak and immature faith, I didn’t fully believe that I could…

Trust that God is who He says He is.
Believe He is able to do what He says He will do.
Live in peace knowing His love is greater than any circumstances.

I doubted His willingness to give me everything I need.

You’d probably admit that it’s easier to surrender to God’s will when life is easy and He’s working in ways that please you. It’s harder when you can’t understand your current situation or when the road ahead looks hard.

Maybe, like me, you want stronger faith. You want to face each day with obedient surrendered faith without an attitude that says, “MY will be done.”

So, I’ve challenged myself to read and repeat the following until I believe the truth . . . that living completely surrendered to God’s will is by far the best way to live. Until this truth becomes the only way I want to live.

How to Know and Trust God’s Will

1. Know and Trust God’s Love for You

It’s hard to follow someone who doesn’t want what’s best for us and since the Garden of Eden, Satan has used whatever he can to tempt people to doubt God’s love.

Have you ever heard a child say “you don’t love me” to a parent’s “no?” Yet the job of a loving parent isn’t to make their children happy, it’s to do what is best to keep them safe and help them grow and mature.

I’m learning that as our loving Heavenly Father, God is at work in my life and yours guiding us, protecting us, and helping us grow and mature in faith and love.

And if you need a reminder of just how much God loves you…

God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
1 John 4:9–10

That is HUGE love you and I can trust!

2. Know and Trust God’s Ability to Care for You

If fear and anxiety were Olympic sports, I’d have a trophy case full of medals. The list of things I’ve worried about is too long for this space. Even though I memorized the verse “don’t worry about tomorrow” as a child—applying it seemed beyond my anxiety overwhelm.

But you and I are not doing tomorrow yet. We are living today! It took several major crises before I learned that I just needed to let God help me through this present moment and trust Him to give me what I need in the next. That’s living through faith…

Believing God will meet each need one moment at a time!

Your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need.
Luke 12:30b–31

3. Know and Trust God’s Mercy and Healing Grace

Dwelling on the past overwhelmed by guilt is as much of a problem as worrying about the future.

Through Christ Jesus, God completely forgives those who come to Him in repentance. With His help, we can trust Him and rest in His grace and mercy.

Part of surrendering means going to God in prayer asking Him to forgive our past and to help us by giving us everything we need to forgive others. When you and I focus on regret and revenge it’s impossible to surrender to God’s will. Lack of forgiveness will always rob us of God’s perfect peace and joy.

If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
1 John 1:9

Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32

4. Know and Trust God’s Timing

I’m not good at waiting … lines, doctors offices, etc. I have a schedule to follow. You too?!

But the truth is, there is no peace when I’m tapping my foot and staring at my watch. And there’s no peace when I try to put God on my prayer-answering timetable.

With the Spirit’s help, I’m surrendering my impatience to God, asking Him to help me trust His timing. And while I wait . . . I’m also asking Him to give me His peace and strength.

But they who wait upon the Lord will get new strength. They will rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weak.
Isaiah 40:31

5. Know, Trust, and Obey God’s Will

I’m a creature of habits and truthfully, not all of them are good. It’s easy to make light of my sins, after all they’re not THAT bad. But all sins are a big deal. They rob me of peace, cause unpleasant consequences, and fail to glorify God.

Lately, I’ve been asking God to reveal to me the things culture and the church excuse that I have come to think of as acceptable to Him. I want to know, trust, and obey His will.

So, I’m asking God to help me know and trust His truth and commands. I’m asking Him to help me believe that His perfect will is best and that He will give me a heart for obedience … not to earn His favor but to glorify Him and testify to His love.

Lord, we show our trust in You by obeying Your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify Your name.
Isaiah 26:8

I’ll admit that I’m still a work in progress. I have so much to learn about completely surrendering to God’s will.

My sinful self wants to have total control over all that happens in my life. Most of the time, I want what I want and I want it now.

But experience has taught and is teaching me that fighting God’s plan for me will never offer me lasting happiness or peace. It hasn’t happened in the past and I doubt it will in the future.

I believe God wants to help us know and trust His perfect love and surrender to His will because He wants what is best for us today, tomorrow, and always.

Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me.
Isaiah 46:9

So with the Spirit’s help, I will surrender my will to God today.

Not on my own.

But…

I can do all things through Christ because He gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13

And that is everything we need!

Here are a few quotes that inspire me.

♥ “If my life is surrendered to God, all is well. Let me not grab it back, as though it were in peril in His hand but would be safer in mine!”~Elisabeth Elliot

♥ “It is wonderful what miracles God works in wills that are utterly surrendered to Him” ~Hannah Whitall Smith

♥ “Real contentment must come from within. You and I cannot change or control the world around us, but we can change and control the world within us.” ~Warren Wiersbe

♥ “Peace is the deliberate adjustment of my life to the will of God.” ~Author Unknown

Daily Prayers of Surrender to God’s Will

Years ago, a dear friend shared this morning prayer with me.

Father God, I surrender this day to You. I will follow where You lead me and do Your will as You reveal it to me. Please help me live this promise – that my life might glorify You alone. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Hannah Whithall Smith also wrote the following prayer:

Lord, I am Yours, I do yield and leave myself entirely to You and I believe You accept me. Work in me all the good pleasure of Your will and I will only lie still in Your hands and trust You. Amen.

I hope these prayers bless and encourage you as you make it your heart’s desire to know and trust God’s will for you.

Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

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Day 38 – God, Please Help Me Trust Your Will in the New Year

12 / 29 / 1812 / 29 / 18

I love the anticipation of a new year.

A clean calendar. A new beginning. A fresh start.

But…

When January 1st, 2nd, and 3rd arrive, I realize I’ve once again carried the junk of the past year with me into the new.

The truth is the new year has the same great need … to let go of fear and anxiety, to live with faith, to entrust my heart and completely surrender to the One who holds every one of my moments in His hands.

So, I’m praying…

God, Please Help Me Trust Your Will in the New Year

Father, Thank you for giving me a beautiful new start … not only in the opening of a clean calendar but every day through Your gift of forgiveness.

Please forgive me for carrying around the junk of the past … things from which You’ve already set me free. I’m so sorry, Lord.

I need You.

Help me trust You completely and follow wherever You lead me in 2019 and beyond.

Help me remember that knowing and trusting Your Word helps me know and trust Your will.

Jesus said, I don’t need to ever allow my heart to be troubled because I can trust You! (based on John 14:1)

Jesus showed people Your amazing love through His life, death, and resurrection.

That’s how much You love. I can put my trust in Your love. (based on 1 John 4:16)

Help me trust Your unfailing love because of all the ways You have helped me and rescued me in the past. (based on Psalm 13:5)

Help me trust You to keep my heart and mind in perfect peace when my thoughts are fixed on you! (based on Isaiah 26:3)

Help me trust that Your instructions and commands are perfect and full of wisdom. (based on Psalm 19:7)

Father, with Your Spirit’s help I will hold tightly without wavering to the hope You give. I will faithfully believe You can be trusted to keep Your promises. (based on Hebrews 10:23)

And as I seek to know You and Your will for me … please remind me of Your unfailing love. Show me where to walk, Father … I surrender myself and my life to You. (based on Psalm 143:8)

Help me trust You and…

I will cling to Your promises.

I will remember Your love and faithfulness.

I will trust in You with all my heart. With Your help, I will not depend on my own understanding or the world’s wisdom but I will seek Your will in all I do, confident that You will show me which path to take every day. (based on Proverbs 3:5–6)

I will trust You.

I will seek to know Your will for me.

I will follow where You lead me.

Please help me, Father, by the power of Your Spirit. Help me trust Your will for me in the new year. Amen.

I am so blessed that you are joining me for this journey…

You’ll want to subscribe to Counting My Blessings (if you haven’t already), to receive a link to 40 Days of Mountain Moving Prayers in your inbox each morning.

It’s true! This is the busiest time of the year but I promise this will only be a 2-minute a day commitment…

One that will ask and seek and knock through bold prayers … and watch what only God can do when we go to Him with anything is possible mountain moving prayers.

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Day 17 – God, I Want to be Bold and Persistent When I Pray

12 / 8 / 18

When Jesus was teaching His followers about prayer, He said,

I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Luke 11:9–10

Ask … Seek … Knock.

Each word more intentionally bold.

And I wonder how often I stop after an ask. How often I simply give up … when my faith falls short and trust begins to doubt.

I want to pray the way Jesus taught. I want to be bold and persistent when I go to God in prayer.

Will you pray with me..?

God, I Want to be Bold and Persistent When I Pray

Father, You call me Your child! That’s how much You love me.

I can remember how I would plead with my parents when I wanted something and I also remember how our children could beg incessantly.

And the truth is, based on my parent’s reaction and honestly, my response to my children … I wonder if we’ve all been taught to believe that bold and persistent prayers displease You.

But Jesus said…

Keep on asking. Matthew 7:7
Pray about anything. Matthew 21:22
And never give up. Luke 18:1

You told us through the apostle, John:

And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. 1 John 5:14

And it’s that part I too often forget when I’m pleading and begging like an impatient child … You always hear me and Your will is always best!

I can ask for anything … repeatedly!

Jesus gave me an example…

He pleaded with You three times to take His suffering away and each time His prayer ended with the words, “Yet, I want Your will to be done, not mine.” Mark 14:36

And for my sake, Your will was done!

For my sake!

You love me that much!

I can trust You with my prayers!

Father, I remember how I cried out to You for years over painful circumstances when one day Your gentle reply was simply, “You have no idea how I’ve spared you.”

Forgive me!

Forgive me for failing to trust You … for foolishly believing I know what’s best.

I know what I want but You know the big picture. You see the end from the beginning and Your will is always cloaked in love.

So, I will be bold and persistent in my prayers. I will ask, seek, and knock. And I will end each prayer with the words, “Your will be done.”

Because I can trust Your love is always behind Your will, whatever You allow … whatever You give or take away.

And even when I don’t understand, I will keep praying … trusting that You hear every prayer and meet every need.

Thank you, Father, for wanting me to be bold and persistent when I pray. Amen.

I am so blessed that you are joining me for this journey…

You’ll want to subscribe to Counting My Blessings (if you haven’t already), to receive a link to 40 Days of Mountain Moving Prayers in your inbox each morning.

It’s true! This is the busiest time of the year but I promise this will only be a 2-minute a day commitment…

One that will ask and seek and knock through bold prayers … and watch what only God can do when we go to Him with anything is possible mountain moving prayers.

Subscribe here!

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Remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and tell us about the mountains God is moving in your life.

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone?
Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

Just imagine what God will do as His people come to Him in faith and prayer!

The Best Way to Live One Day at a Time and Actually Enjoy It

7 / 30 / 18

Jesus said, “Don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries.” Matthew 6:34

Solomon wrote, “Don’t brag about tomorrow since you don’t know what the day will bring.” Proverbs 27:1

Isaiah wrote, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” Isaiah 43:18

Don’t worry. Don’t brag. Forget the past.

Live for today.

That’s what I want …. simple, faith-filled, focus on what God is doing in my life today. I want to let go of yesterday and leave tomorrow where it belongs—in the future!

But even though I want to faithfully live in the present, I fall short way too often. The enemy of my soul constantly taunts me with regrets and worries and my thoughts wander off to places that discourage and dishearten me.

Though I know I’m sacrificing peace, joy, contentment and so much more when I choose to focus on past or future “what ifs,” I still have days when I don’t feel well or circumstances don’t go the way I want challenging me to lose focus and retreat into the past and the future.

I need help.

I can’t do it on my own. I need God’s Holy Spirit to help me live one day at a time – free of regrets and worries.

I’ve made a list of “Just for Today” goals that I believe will help me. I’m hoping they will help you too…

10 Just for Today Goals to
Enjoy Life One Day at a Time

1. I will make healthy choices.

I will make every effort to eat a healthy diet, stay active, and get the rest I need with balance and without obsession.

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. Corinthians 6:19–20

2. I will be kind to myself and others.

I will remember how much God loves me and wants the best for me. I will not sabotage His work in my life with unhealthy choices. And I will extend kindness and compassion to the people God places around me.

When we are outrageously kind to ourselves it’s easier to be kind to others. (Wow, I need to work on this one! I can say some terrible things to myself)

3. I will choose to find joy in every day.

With God’s help, I will live in this moment and look for reasons to be joy-filled and happy.

It’s so easy to focus on what’s wrong and what’s missing. I am trusting the Spirit to help me…

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8

4. I will trust God’s plans for me and follow where He leads me.

If you’re like me, you make your plans and you’re sure they’re right. Changes and interruptions can be the beginning of my day heading south.

I love this quote from Shauna Nyquist…

“I’m practicing believing that God knows more than I know, that He sees what I can’t, that He’s weaving a future I can’t even imagine from where I sit this morning.”

And with His help, you and I can trust that His plans, even His interruptions, are for our good and His glory although we may not see it at the moment.

5. I will repent and confess my sins to God trusting that He faithfully forgives me.

I’m one of those people who will relive past mistakes and own the guilt again and again. Rev teases me for often taking the blame for things that aren’t even my fault or my doing. Talk about joy robbers!

So, I am committing myself to trust God’s promise…

But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9

And remember that when I doubt His forgiveness I doubt His love.

When you and I trust Jesus’ sacrifice we must also trust its sufficiency to cover our sins.

6. I will forgive others the way God has forgiven me.

I will give the gift of forgiveness to those who hurt me. Jesus included our need to forgive each other in the prayer He taught…

Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. Matthew 6:12

Sometimes the pain seems to great to forgive but I am trusting that because Jesus spoke of the importance of forgiveness, His Spirit will help me accomplish it.

This quote from Max Lucado is so good…

“Forgiveness doesn’t diminish justice, it entrusts it to God.”

7. I will plan and prepare for my day asking God to guide me.

With God’s help, I will use today’s 1440 minutes intentionally.

I’ll admit, this one challenges me. I can so easily get distracted and unfocused. I want to strive to become a better steward of every moment of life God gives me.

“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.” ~Paul J. Meyer

8. I will not over-plan my day. I will leave time for stillness and rest.

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” ~Stephen Covey

I’ve written a personal mission statement. Having a mission statement makes it easier for me to know my priorities and schedule in a way that leaves me time to breathe. It also leaves time for God’s unexpected interruptions and best of all it makes time spent in His Word and in prayer a priority.

9. I will accept the unexpected … do what I can and trust God with the rest.

Whatever a day brings, I will trust that God is greater than my circumstances and live with confidence that He is able to give me the strength to endure.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. Romans 8:38

I will trust His love!

10. I will refuse to worry.

Worry is a joy stealer! It is impossible to worry and experience joy!

And right after Jesus told His followers to “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.”

He said…

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. Matthew 6:33 –34

We can trust Him! With God’s help, we can simply do what we are given to do today, and leave tomorrow to the mercy and grace of God trusting that when we His Kingdom and live for His glory, He will supply everything we need to live … one day at a time.

And finally – I will count my blessings.

I began blessing counting during a time when my heart hurt so much it seemed impossible to see anything good. A discipline God used to strengthen me and fill me with hope. I’m a committed counter now.

Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!” Luke 5:26

I want to pay attention! I want to see the amazing things God is doing and count every blessing one day at a time!

This quote from Ida Scott Taylor sums it all up beautifully…

“One day at a time- this is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past, for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering.”

What things do you do to help you live one day at a time and enjoy it?

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5 Things You Can Do that will Help You Surrender to God’s Will

1 / 29 / 188 / 2 / 19

"Thy will be done." One of the hardest prayers in the Bible. Surrender to God's will begins with faith in Jesus and living each day one moment at a time. #BlessingBloggers #CountingMyBlessing #God'sWill

One of the hardest sentences in my life has been…

“Lord, not my will but Yours be done.”

In fact, I’ve had more than a few times when I’ve gone into and through circumstances both kicking and screaming!

Surrender is a word that used to terrify me.

I’m guessing I’m not alone.

It’s not easy to give up and give in to the Sovereign God of the Universe because doing so requires…

Trusting that God is who He says He is.
Believing He is able to do what He says He will do.
Living in peace knowing His love is greater than any circumstances.

I’ll admit it’s easier to surrender to God’s will when life is easy and He’s working in ways that please me. It’s harder when I can’t understand my current situation and the road ahead looks hard.

Maybe like me, you want to do better and face each day in obedience without fighting to get your own way.

If so, I believe this will help you like it’s helping me.

5 Things You Can Do that will Help You Surrender to God’s Will

1. Trust God’s Love

It’s hard for me to follow someone who doesn’t want what’s best for me and since the Garden of Eden, Satan has used whatever he can to get people to doubt God’s love.

Have you ever heard a child say “you don’t love me” to a parent’s “no?” Yet the job of a loving parent isn’t to make their children happy, it’s to do what is best to help them grow and mature.

I’m learning that as my loving Heavenly Father, God is at work in my life helping me grow and mature in faith and love.

And…

God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him.This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1 John 4:9–10

That is HUGE love!

2. Let Go of Worry and Surrender in Faith

If worry was an Olympic sport, I’d have a trophy case of medals. The list of things I’ve worried about is too long for this space. I’d memorized the verse “don’t worry about tomorrow” as a child — but applying it seemed beyond my anxiety overwhelm.

But I’m not doing tomorrow right now. I living today! It took several major crises before I finally learned that I just needed God to help me through this moment and trust Him to give me what I need in the next. That’s living through faith…

Believing God will meet each need one moment at a time!

Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things? Luke 12:25–26

3. Let Go of the Past and Surrender to God’s Healing Grace

Dwelling on the past is as much of a problem as worrying about the future.

In Christ Jesus, God has completely forgiven the past. I’m learning to trust Him and lean into His gracea and mercy.

Part of my surrendering means going to God in prayer asking Him to forgive my past and give me all I need to forgive those who hurt me. When you and I focus on regret and revenge we cannot surrender. Those two things will always rob us of God’s peace and joy.

“Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18–19

4. Let Go of Impatience and Surrender to God’s Timing

I’m not good at waiting … lines, doctors offices, etc. I have a schedule to follow. You too?!

But the truth is, there is no peace when I’m tapping my foot and staring at my watch.

So, I’m giving my impatience to God, asking Him to help me trust His timing and while I wait, I’m also asking Him to give me His peace and strength.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

5. Let Go of Disobedience and Surrender to God’s Commands

I’m too often a creature of habits and not all of them are good. It’s easy to make light of my sins, after all they’re not THAT bad. But sins are a big deal. They rob me of peace, cause me unpleasant consequences, and fail to glorify God.

I’m asking God to help me believe His ways are best and.give me a heart for obedience … not to earn His favor but to glorify Him and testify to His love.

Lord, we show our trust in You by obeying Your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify Your name. Isaiah 26:8

I still have so much to learn to completely surrender to God’s will.

I like to have control over what happens in my life. I want what I want and I want it now. But experience has taught me that fighting God’s plans will never offer me lasting happiness or peace. It has never happened in the past and I doubt it will in the future.

I believe God wants to help us trust His perfect love and surrender to His will.

Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Isaiah 46:9

So… I will surrender my will to God today.

Not on my own.

But with His help.

I can do all things through Christ because He gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

5 Things You Can Do that will Help You Surrender to God's Will - "Thy will be done." One of the hardest prayers in the Bible. It takes faith and God's healing grace. #God'sWill #CountingMyBlessings #Faith #BibleStudy

I’m thankful for these quotes to inspire me.

♥ “If my life is surrendered to God, all is well. Let me not grab it back, as though it were in peril in His hand but would be safer in mine!”~Elisabeth Elliot

♥ “It is wonderful what miracles God works in wills that are utterly surrendered to Him” ~Hannah Whitall Smith

♥ “Real contentment must come from within. You and I cannot change or control the world around us, but we can change and control the world within us.” ~Warren Wiersbe

♥ “Peace is the deliberate adjustment of my life to the will of God.” ~Author Unknown

A Daily Prayer of Surrender to God’s Will

Years ago, a dear friend shared this morning prayer with me.

Father God, I surrender this day to You. I will follow where You lead and do Your will as You reveal it to me. Help me live this promise – that I may live today for Your glory. In the name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

May this be the way I begin each day, and with God’s help may I live it out one moment at a time.

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10 Ways to Trust God’s Will When Life is Hard

1 / 15 / 181 / 12 / 18

I always believed God blessed good behavior and in many ways, He does, but the truth is you and I are not perfect … our behavior will never be good enough.

So, most of us would probably admit — life is hard!

Add to any personal problems you and I experience, our lives are also complicated by the fact that we live among people whose behavior falls anywhere from mostly good to downright awful.

Yep, life is hard!

You and I live in a fallen world with fallen people.

Adam and Eve failed to follow God’s will and well, ever since that fateful day in the Garden the rest of us have followed their example.

Fallen people living in a fallen world make life challenging.

The truth is, we shouldn’t be surprised by our “life is hard” seasons.

And yet we are.

Rev and I went through a prolonged and painful season a little over a decade ago. I’ll spare you the details because today I want to focus on the ways God used it for good.

As bad as it was, a huge blessing came out of that time … God taught us that we could trust His will because He is faithful and His promises are true.

The following are some of our favorites.

10 Ways to Trust God’s Will When Life is Hard

1. Don’t let the battle surprise you – be prepared.

Jesus told His followers to anticipate problems. Before our painful season, this verse did not give me peace. I was terrified of potential trials and sorrows. But I was only looking at the trials and sorrows part. The promise is … Jesus has overcome! He has won the victory and He is able to give each of us the strength and peace we need to take life one day at a time.

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

2. God is listening – pray without ceasing!

Oh wow, we prayed. We asked everyone we knew to pray. We asked God to give us wisdom and understanding and meet our need for His supernatural peace and strength. We asked Him to show us His will and help us follow … and He did. He didn’t answer every prayer the way we’d hoped but He met every need with His best.

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. Romans 12:12

3. Strive to surrender to God’s will – obey Him.

You and I can’t surrender and obey God’s will if we don’t know what it is. I am still so far from obeying God the way I want and even further from the way He wants but during that difficult season, I grew to love God’s Word. The Lord is not secretive about His will. He used prophets and apostles to document it and Jesus to live it. The more I study His Word, I learn that His way really is best and I want to obey Him.

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Hebrews 4:12

4. God’s timing is perfect – trust Him.

You and I want quick answers and easy solutions. But many of life’s problems can’t be resolved either quickly or easily.

We have a broken relationship that has lasted far longer than I ever imagined and I continue to have days where I struggle with deep sadness because of it. But I will continue to wait, pray, and believe that God is at work in the hearts and minds of everyone involved.

Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. Psalm 27:14

5. God can use even the worst circumstances for good – remain hopeful.

I recently read the account of Joseph, who was rejected by his brothers, sold into slavery, and wrongly imprisoned. He stayed focused on God and lived obediently each day. Then when he could have turned the tables on the people who caused his pain; he was able to profess God’s bigger picture as he had already forgiven each offense.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. Genesis 50:20

6. Keep your eyes on Jesus not on your situation – stay focused.

My thoughts control my mood and attitude. I’m guessing that’s true for you, too. When I ponder my problems on spin cycle, I’m guaranteed a rotten day and pass my rottenness along to everyone with whom I interact. But when I turn up my praise music, repeat verses I’ve memorized, and think about all the ways Jesus has faithfully walked with me in the past … well, let’s just say it’s better for everyone.

Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1a–2

7. Remember God knows the big picture of your life – be still.

I know more now that I’m in my sixties than I did in my fifties or any decade before. I don’t know how the future will look but God does. So, I can be still and rest in Him know He knows my today, tomorrow and forever. That truth gives me the courage to trust and follow wherever He leads.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.” Revelation 1:8

8. You are not on this journey alone – be strong and courageous!

One of the hardest parts of our painful season was feeling like we were alone. When friends are at a loss for words to comfort and encourage and you feel like no one understands, remember Jesus promise…

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

9. Crawl, walk and run … until you soar – Get up and LIVE!

When life is hard, get up and do what you can do today. I’ve learned that thinking about other people may be the very best thing I can do to get my mind off my problems. Some days I’ve crawled through, some I’ve walked or run and by God’s grace, I’ve even enjoyed some soaring days!

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

10. Write it down – count your blessings!

I started writing here at Counting My Blessings during that difficult time because I wanted to hold myself accountable to look for the blessings God was giving even in the midst of the pain. When life is hard it’s difficult to think about anything else. But looking for all that was good helped me survive what wasn’t. So grab a journal or start a blog and write your blessings!

Always be joyful.Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18

I’m not going to try to tell you this is easy. It’s not. But I promise with God’s help, these ten things will help you trust God’s plan even when you don’t understand and life is hard.

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