Trusting God Amid Life's Uncertainties and Challenges

Today, we gathered to lift our hearts in gratitude for the blood of Jesus and to soak in the presence of God, trusting that He meets each of us right where we are. Life is full of ups and downs, and we often find ourselves in circumstances that are confusing, painful, or simply not what we expected. This is the reality of living in a broken world, where our own choices, the choices of others, and the schemes of the enemy all play a part. Yet, in the midst of this, God calls us to a blessed assurance—a deep, abiding trust in Him that transcends our understanding and circumstances.

Trusting God is not always easy, especially when our prayers seem unanswered or when life takes a turn we didn’t anticipate. Our experiences with people—whether good or bad—can color our ability to trust God fully. Sometimes, even our disappointments with God, when He doesn’t answer as we hoped, can cause us to doubt His care. But God’s invitation is to surrender our lives completely, believing that He knows best and sees the bigger picture that we cannot.

Jesus taught us to pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” reminding us that God’s will is not always done here because of human free will. We are encouraged to bring our requests to God, but ultimately to submit to His will, trusting that His ways are higher than ours. Even when what God allows brings pain, like surgery that hurts but heals, we can trust that He is working for our good.

Dependence on God is a daily posture, not a one-time event. Jesus instructed us to pray for daily bread, teaching us to rely on God each day rather than living in self-reliance. When we root ourselves in God’s Word and presence, we become like trees planted by streams of water—unmoved by drought or heat, bearing fruit even in hard times. This trust produces peace, stability, and hope, regardless of our circumstances.

God’s love is steadfast, and nothing can separate us from it—not our present struggles, not our future fears. Our assurance is not in a trouble-free life, but in the unshakable love and faithfulness of God. As we trust Him, we find peace that surpasses understanding and the strength to endure whatever comes our way.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s Will and Human Choice: God’s will is perfect, but it is not always accomplished on earth because He has given us and others free will. Our choices, and the choices of those around us, have real consequences, but God is always working to redeem and restore. Praying for God’s will to be done is an act of surrender, acknowledging that His perspective is higher and wiser than ours. [48:56]
• 2. Trust Beyond Understanding: True trust in God means relying on Him even when life doesn’t make sense and our prayers seem unanswered. God’s thoughts and ways are far above ours, and what feels like loss or confusion to us may be part of a greater purpose we cannot yet see. Faith is not about getting our way, but about believing that God’s way is ultimately for our good. [56:42]
• 3. Daily Dependence, Not Self-Reliance: Jesus taught us to ask for daily bread, emphasizing a continual, daily dependence on God rather than relying on our own strength or resources. When we live in self-reliance, we become spiritually dry and tossed by life’s storms, but when we depend on God, we are nourished and sustained, no matter the external circumstances. [53:28]
• 4. Rootedness Produces Resilience: Those who trust in the Lord are like trees planted by water, whose roots go deep into God’s Word and presence. This rootedness enables us to withstand seasons of drought and heat—times of trial and lack—without fear or withering. Stability and fruitfulness in life come not from the absence of trouble, but from being deeply anchored in God. [72:09]
• 5. Peace and Assurance in God’s Love: The ultimate fruit of trusting God is a peace that surpasses understanding and an assurance that nothing can separate us from His love. Even when we cannot see the outcome or feel His presence, God remains faithful. Our hope is not in circumstances, but in the unchanging character and promises of God, who keeps us secure now and for eternity. [84:24]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [37:22] - Opening Prayer and Worship
• [39:16] - Declaration of Identity in Christ
• [39:51] - Announcements and Dismissal of Children
• [41:11] - Prayer for Spiritual Receptivity
• [42:33] - Introduction: Blessed Assurance, Trusting in the Lord
• [43:10] - Life’s Roller Coaster and the Broken World
• [45:39] - How Life Experiences Affect Trust in God
• [46:59] - The Challenge of Trusting God Amid Disappointment
• [47:40] - Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer and God’s Will
• [48:56] - Free Will and the Consequences of Choice
• [50:55] - Praying for God’s Will Above Our Own
• [51:32] - Painful Processes and God’s Greater Purpose
• [53:28] - Daily Dependence on God
• [56:42] - God’s Thoughts and Ways Are Higher
• [59:14] - God’s Purpose Prevails Over Our Plans
• [61:54] - Now Faith: Active Trust for Today
• [63:06] - Personal Testimony: God’s Bigger Picture
• [70:47] - Jeremiah’s Contrast: Self-Reliance vs. God-Dependence
• [72:09] - The Fruit of Trust: Resilience and Peace
• [76:01] - Abraham’s Example of Trust
• [79:16] - The Fruit of Trust: Stability and Bearing Fruit
• [82:29] - Perfect Peace for Those Who Trust
• [83:48] - Assurance in God’s Unfailing Love
• [85:37] - Invitation to Salvation and Closing Prayer

Bible Reading

Matthew 6:10-11 (ESV) — > Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (ESV) — > Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.

Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV) — > For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Observation Questions

1. In Matthew 6:10-11, what two main things does Jesus teach us to pray for, and why are they important? ([47:40])
2. According to Jeremiah 17:7-8, what is the difference between someone who trusts in the Lord and someone who relies on themselves? ([01:12:09])
3. In Isaiah 55:8-9, how does God describe the difference between His ways and our ways? ([56:42])
4. The sermon mentioned that even when we pray for good things, God may answer differently than we expect. What example from the Bible was given to show this? ([51:32])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Jesus tell us to pray for God’s will to be done “on earth as it is in heaven”? What does this reveal about the world we live in and our role in prayer? ([48:16])
2. The sermon compared trusting in God to being like a tree planted by water. What does this image teach us about how trust in God affects our lives during hard times? ([01:12:09])
3. How can our past experiences with people—good or bad—affect our ability to trust God? ([45:39])
4. The pastor said that sometimes God’s answer to our prayers brings pain, like surgery that hurts but heals. How does this change the way we view unanswered or difficult answers to prayer? ([52:11])

Application Questions

1. The sermon talked about surrendering our own will and trusting that God knows best, even when life doesn’t make sense. Is there a situation in your life right now where you are struggling to trust God’s plan? What would it look like to pray, “Your will be done,” in that area? ([46:21])
2. Jesus taught us to pray for “daily bread,” not “weekly bread.” In what practical ways can you depend on God daily instead of relying on your own strength or planning? ([53:28])
3. The message said that when we trust in ourselves, we become like a tumbleweed—dry and tossed around by life’s storms. Can you think of a time when you tried to handle things on your own and felt spiritually dry? What could you do differently next time? ([01:11:28])
4. The pastor shared a personal story about not getting a job he wanted, only to see later that God had a bigger plan. Have you ever experienced disappointment that later turned out to be for your good? How did that experience affect your trust in God? ([01:03:06])
5. Jeremiah 17:7-8 says that those who trust in the Lord “do not fear when heat comes” and “are not anxious in the year of drought.” What are some “droughts” or “heat” you are facing right now? How can you stay rooted in God’s Word and presence during these times? ([01:12:09])
6. The sermon reminded us that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not our present struggles or future fears. When you feel distant from God, what is one thing you can do to remind yourself of His unchanging love? ([01:24:24])
7. The pastor said that dependence on God is a daily posture, not a one-time event. What is one habit you can start this week to help you practice daily dependence on God? ([53:28])