The arrival of January is often seen as a time of exciting possibilities as we make plans for what we hope to accomplish during the year. At the same time, the uncertainty of what the year might bring can also cause anxiety.
Because of this, January is a perfect time to be reminded of the need to trust God in all aspects of life. Whether you are hopeful everything will fall into place this year or whether you already know the year will bring numerous challenges, we can trust that God is in control and is working things according to His purposes.
God is in Control
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” — Revelation 1:8
No matter what happens in the coming year, we can confidently trust God because He is in control. He is eternal and all-powerful, and He is on His throne. No circumstance we face takes Him by surprise, and He has a plan through it all.
We can make plans to achieve our goals in life, but it is helpful to be reminded that Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” God is lovingly in control of our lives and working out His plans. Trusting God brings peace and deepens our relationship with Him. When we submit ourselves to His will, we find that He knows better than we do, and we can rest in His sovereignty.
When Trusting God is Hard
“Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these things, who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power; not one is missing.” — Isaiah 40:26
It is one thing to know the importance of trusting God with everything, but it is another to put that knowledge into action. After all, it can seem like the world is spinning out of control, and it is easy to question if God is working for good through the chaos. Yet God assures us in His Word that He is loving, present, and active in the world and sovereign over all creation.
How do we live out trust in God daily? Consider asking yourself these four questions to determine how well you are trusting God:
- When plans go awry, do you get irritated?
God often uses life's interruptions as ministry opportunities, so He can be trusted to work even during apparent setbacks. In fact, sometimes, those unexpected circumstances are just what He uses to get our attention and teach us to trust Him. God works in the details.
- Do you ask God for help?
Asking God for guidance in all situations is a display of trust in Him. No matter is too big or too small to take to Him. God desires for us to present our requests to Him and talk with Him about everything that concerns us. When we try to do things in our own power, we only find out how inadequate we are without Him.
- When God speaks, do you listen?
Trusting in God means walking in obedience to Him. Jesus put it very simply in John 14:15 when He said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” Perhaps what God is telling you to do doesn’t make sense or seems too difficult, but He does have a purpose. He will equip you to do what He’s called you to do.
- Are you trying to control circumstances as if you know better than God?
When we think God isn’t working in a situation, we can try to take matters into our own hands.
In the book of Genesis, God promised Abram (Abraham) and Sarai (Sarah) they would have a son. However, they were both getting old, and Sarah was well past the childbearing years. After years of waiting, Sarah decided to take charge of the situation and suggested Abraham take her servant Hagar as another wife and have a son with her. He did so, but Sarah still had a son named Isaac in God’s perfect time and according to His plan. God’s timetable is often far different from our own, but we can trust Him to fulfill His promises.
Moving Forward in Prayer
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’” — James 4:13-15
Making plans and setting goals is important, but before we do that God invites us to spend time in prayer to seek what He would have for us. Prayer and God’s Word are key to discerning if our plans are based on things we want to accomplish or if they are rooted in what God is calling us to do. We also need to recognize that God can—and often will—turn our plans upside down to bring us closer to Him.
When we acknowledge God is in control, our response is to submit our lives to Him. When we trust God, we naturally want to use our lives for His glory. Instead of trying to take matters into our own hands, asking God for guidance and following in obedience is how we display trust in God.
God Wants to Use Us
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” — Romans 8:28
God is in control and has a specific plan, and He also invites us to play an active role in His work. After all, God wants to use us to share the gospel with others and advance His kingdom. It is an incredible privilege to be a part of what He is doing. While God doesn’t need us to accomplish His will, He wants to use us.
Trusting in God involves submitting to His will. In Isaiah 6:8, the prophet told God, “’Here am I! Send me,’” and we should have a similar response to God’s calling on our lives.
Trusting God and walking in obedience does not mean everything will go our way or be easy. In fact, Jesus said we would face trials and persecution in life, and that’s exactly what happened to His followers in the Bible.
Yet through it all we can trust God’s many promises, and those promises include that He loves us, has a plan for our lives, is working everything according to His purposes, and freely gives salvation to all who accept Him. Those promises can help sustain us through difficulties and keep us anchored to Jesus.
Takeaway
“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” — Isaiah 40:31
When we fully trust in God for whatever the next year might bring, we can be filled with hope, peace, and strength. We can also be obedient to God even when circumstances are difficult knowing He has promised to sustain us, and He is in control. God is more powerful than anything we face. He is worthy of our trust.
For a deeper dive on trusting God, listen to this sermon from ParadigmKC.