How to Trust God When the Future is Uncertain

It is easy to trust God when everything is going well, but do you know how to trust God when the future is uncertain? Here is what David teaches us from Psalms. #Biblestudy #Psalms #WomensBibleStudy #GoodMorningGirls

2020 has been a year of uncertainty.

The Covid-19 Pandemic has led to constant change.  First, it was the shock of everything shutting down.  Then, it was the uncertainty of wondering when the “stay-at-home” orders would end.  Now, we are social distancing in stores, restaurants and church and no one knows what the next couple of months hold.

Will the kids go back to school like normal?
Will there be a second wave?
Will a loved one catch the Corona Virus?
If a loved one catches it, will they be okay?
Will the economy be able to withstand the shutdowns?
Who will be our next president?

Though I’ve never lived through a pandemic before, I have lived through uncertainty.  I have had days, that turned into months and now years, where my future has been uncertain because of my husband leaving and moving far away.  But if there is one thing I have learned through trusting God in the dark – it is this…

This world may be uncertain, unstable and always changing but our God is not. 

God is the same yesterday, today and forever.

People are going to disappoint us and let us down.  But God does not change. He is rock solid.  His promises are reliable. His word stands true for eternity and his love endures forever.

We can trust God when the future seems uncertain because God is consistent and constant.  He is the unchanging one.  No matter what happens tomorrow or the next day, he will not change.  His Word was sure a thousand years ago and it will be sure for the next thousand.

And this gives me peace and rest.


And so this brings me to Psalm 108.

David writes in Psalm 108:1:

My heart is steadfast, O God! 
I will sing and make melody with all my being!

David was in the midst of difficult circumstances, where his future was uncertain but he was determined to continue to praise God even in the midst of life’s difficulties.

Are you in the midst of a difficult, painful or uncertain circumstance today?  

Sing!

Our hearts are so susceptible to being discouraged.  It is easy to let our fears and feelings take over but we must be like David. Even when we do not feel like singing – sing with ALL of your being, to the Lord.

Psalm 108:2 says:

Awake, O harp and lyre!
    I will awake the dawn!

When did David sing?  First thing in the morning.

David started his day with praise.  David would fit right in with the Good Morning Girls, right? 🙂 Each of us should consider how we start our day and always remember to start with directing our thoughts toward God in prayer and praise.  This is the best way to start our day!

Psalms 108:3-5 says:

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
    I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your steadfast love is great above the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
    Let your glory be over all the earth!

In the midst of David’s uncertainty, he gave thanks and exalted God publicly.  It did not matter if the nations or people around him acknowledged God as God or not.

He was unashamed of his faith and people knew he was trusting in God.

Psalm 108:5 says:

That your beloved ones may be delivered,
give salvation by your right hand and answer me!

After David finished singing and exalting God, THEN he laid his prayer request before God.  He asked that God would deliver him and begged God to answer him.

So often, we pray first and then praise God after we get our answered prayer but David did it the opposite way.  First he praised, then he prayed.

Then David wrote about his enemies and he asked that God help conquer them.

And so David prayed in Psalms 108:12

12 Oh grant us help against the foe,
for vain is the salvation of man!

We don’t know why but David was not experiencing victory.  David asked God again for help because he knew that if he looked for deliverance from a man – he would be disappointed.

In times of uncertainty, it is easy to look to people for answers but David knew he needed more than man’s help – he needed God’s help.

And so David writes in the final verse of Psalm 108:

13 With God we shall do valiantly;
    it is he who will tread down our foes.

In times of uncertainty, not only do we tend to look to others for answers, but we tend to depend on ourselves as well.  We naturally try to figure our own way out, without praying and asking the Lord for help.  We tend to come up with plans and try one after another…after another.  But David acknowledges in the final verse, that it is with God that he would do valiantly.

David needed God.

And in these uncertain times – we need God too.

As we all face the uncertainty of the months ahead, may we be able to say with confidence…

In God we trust.

He is unchanging from one generation to the next and he loves you.

Keep Walking with the King,

 

 

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20 Comments

    1. Thank you for giving me a new pattern to pray..
      Praise first but the time I finish praising .. my battle is almost won … ❤

  1. Thank you so much for this Courtney, you are always so encouraging. I am facing a health crisis that is causing a lot of anxiety. It is not like me to get panic attacks and it’s very scary and discouraging. It feels like I’m trapped in a dark place and I can’t find relief. I am relying on others to help, but I guess they can’t really do for me what only the Lord can. I will praise the Lord and continue to seek Him. Please keep me in prayer. Thank you.

    1. Prayers for strength, peace and healing. Give your fears to Jesus. He will bring comfort. Psalms 46:1 says “God is our refuge and our strength, an ever present help in trouble”. You are never alone.
      I battled a big health crisis the last year and a half. God brought me through. My faith in Jesus was my constant companion. Be prayerful, trust and have faith. God knows what is best. He loves you so much.

  2. Your words of encouragement and reminder to turn to Scripture has helped get my day off to a great start. Thank you, Courtney.

  3. Such an encouraging post. I needed this now. Thank you for your transparency and scriptural truth. God bless you and your family.

  4. Thank you Courtney! I just found you, and WLW in the past week (from a friends IG post) and I’m so thankful!
    I too see and feel the need to hear from God and His Word FIRST! To seek and trust in Him FIRST in these crazy days, so that I can love as He loves.
    I’m praying for you and your ministry today!

  5. So very true! I am so very guilty when upset about something to text or call someone as my knee jerk reaction. Even better, ha ha, I start ruminating about the possible scenarios of how said situation could go wrong. My first, and automatic reaction should be to go directly to God, do not pass go, do not collect $200, go directly to God! Or as Joyce Meyer says,”Don’t go to the phone go to the throne!”

  6. Thank you so much Courtney! I love your bible studies and all the extra I site you give us!
    ????????
    Terri

  7. Thank you so much Courtney! Thank you for catching & pointing out the details that so many times are simply read over without notice. Praise first, than prayer! Thank you!

  8. Thank you so much Courtney! Today’s post was so encouraging to me. I was really needing this in my heart today. Have a blessed day!

  9. Thank you for allowing The Holy Spirit you use you and provide wise. You words are spot on and thank for challenging me to have a closer relationship with Jesus Christ .

  10. Thank you Courtney! I am going to share this with my Bible Study ladies as we all need
    this these days!
    Blessings to you and yours!
    🙂

  11. We live in uncertain times right now. Between jobs being lost and Covid 19, I think we’re all wondering if we will ever see our lives back to some normalcy, or is God trying to tell us something. Our country is becoming more and more evil each passing day. I will say, I’m scared. I’m having health issues, and my job has been cut back. Really struggling to keep my head up and keep going. I really need to read something that gives me a positive outcome to this mess we’re in. I know it’s not just me that’s struggling. I wish I could put my arms around everyone that’s hurting. It’s tough going through it alone. We all need prayer because our country is going in a direction that I never thought possible. It doesn’t even seem like God is important anymore.

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