How will I ever trust you again? I hurled the question at God from the floor of my closet. I pressed my head into the carpet, unable to face the task of getting dressed. Just weeks prior, I trusted God implicitly. I never could’ve imagined questioning him this boldly or speaking to him this angrily. But that was before. Before the hospital, before the unfinished nursery, and before the worst day of my life. It was before God listened to me plead for my daughter's life and still allowed her heart to stop beating. Before my trust in God was shattered. 

Now, lying on the floor in a puddle of tears and an old pile of unsorted laundry, I was brutally honest with the God I’d committed my life to serve, the same God I used to trust wholeheartedly. I feel like you let me down. I trusted you and you didn’t come through for me.

So, now what? 

What Can We Actually Trust God For? 

After that day on my closet floor, I embarked on a personal journey to determine whether or not God can be trusted. And to be honest, I was almost ready to declare him a liar. But God graciously refused to leave me in the darkness of my doubt. Despite accusing him of letting me down, he patiently showed me his inherent trustworthiness through the testimony of his unchanging character revealed on page after page of Scripture. 

This means I had to ask myself some difficult questions about whether I was trusting God to come through on the promises given to me through his Word or ones based on my own (often unbiblical) expectations. And it didn’t take long to realize that God never failed me. I just failed to trust him at his Word. 

When it comes to trusting God, we have to consider what we’re actually trusting him for. Are we trusting God to protect us from all earthly suffering or to grant us and our loved ones long and happy lives here on earth? If so, we’ll likely feel let down. That’s because God’s promises are much bigger than our limited earthly vision. God’s promises are eternal. They don’t end in death and hopeless circumstances never thwart them. If it ever seems as though God has let us down, it’s likely because he’s just not finished yet. As Elisabeth Elliot says, “God’s story never ends with 'ashes.'”¹ 

ANCHOR YOUR TRUST IN GOD WITH THESE TRUTHS

Despite knowing that God will never let me down, trusting him isn’t always easy, especially in the midst of difficult circumstances. So whenever I find myself struggling once again to anchor my trust in God, I pick up my Bible and remind myself of God’s innate trustworthy character. His Word bolsters my faith and quiets my doubts with peace. So if you find yourself doubting God’s promises or wondering if he’s truly worthy of your trust, here are the simple and foundational truths I preach to own my heart when my faith starts to feel shaky. 

1. God can be trusted because he loves you.

God created you with his very breath and he loves you as his child. That means he wants what's best for you. Remember this next time you begin to doubt if God truly loves you: he didn’t even withhold his own Son for your good (Rom. 8:32; Rom. 5:8)! That’s the proof of his love, even when your current circumstances lead you to doubt. You can trust in God’s love because it's perfect love that will not fail you.

2. God can be trusted because he doesn't make mistakes.

God is never late, he never forgets, and he is never wrong. When you feel forgotten or left out, you can trust that God sees you. When you fear that God has done you wrong, remember that God is perfect and holy, incapable of sin (Ex. 15:11; 1 Sam. 2:2). Jackie Hill Perry says it this way: “If God is holy, then He can't sin. If God can't sin, then He can't sin against me. If He can't sin against me, shouldn't that make Him the most trustworthy being there is?”² 

3. God can be trusted because he sees the whole picture.

While you only see your current circumstances, God sees the entire story (Rom. 11:33–36; Ps. 147:5). In fact, he’s already ordained every moment. With each step, he’s working for your good. But not just your temporary, earthly good—your eternal good. Tim Keller says it this way: “God will either give us what we ask or give us what we would have asked if we knew everything he knows.”³ 

4. God can be trusted because even when we are faithless, he remains faithful.

God doesn't stop being trustworthy when you don't deserve it. You don’t have to earn his trustworthiness. Even when you are faithless, you can trust him to remain faithful to his promises (2 Tim. 2:13). Ultimately, God can be trusted because that’s who he is. He is steady and unchanging. From the dawn of creation through eternity and forevermore, God will remain faithful and true. 

In the end, placing your trust in God takes faith—a lot of faith. But thankfully, you don’t have to muster the strength on your own. If you’re struggling to trust God, ask him to help your unbelief. He will be faithful to meet you with grace and patience as you learn to place your trust in him and him alone. God isn’t afraid of your doubts or angered by your questions. Just as he met me in a pile of laundry on the closet floor, he will meet you wherever you find yourself right now, ready to reveal himself as trustworthy and true. 

You can count on it.