BelongingsEsimerkki

How to Trust in God, Especially When You Don’t Have Enough

Is anyone else feeling overwhelmed by the number of things piling on top of you? You’ve got five hundred things to complete by sundown, and you never seem to have enough time, money, resources, and energy to make sure every box is checked off. Yeah, me too. So how are we supposed to trust in God—especially when we just don’t have enough?

The month I graduated from college was a busy time because I wasn’t just graduating from college. I was also getting married, moving to a new city, and starting a new job. And then, my fiancé found out he would be losing his job right before our wedding and big move. I think our initial reactions were to panic and start worrying. But living by faith meant we had to trust that God would provide even when we didn’t understand what he was doing.

Does that mean we can just relax and wait for God to work a miracle? Well, yes and no. We need to work and rest, appropriately. We shouldn’t be frenzied or hopeless, but we should reach out to friends and family for guidance and help. And we definitely should continue to honor God with whatever time, talents, and treasure He’s given us. It’s about keeping our minds fixed on God as provider, and our hearts in loving obedience to Him.

So, back to me and my fiancé. We continued to work hard and trust God. Every time doubt, fear, or panic tried to push us under, we encouraged each other to trust God would walk us through this time. Several weeks after my fiancé’s job loss, my freelance design company started raking in some extra income, which helped us put down deposits for our new home and moving expenses. I was also offered a full-time job that week (hello, miracle)! We had been praying for a miracle, and God answered. It just didn’t look the way we originally thought it would.

Even when it seems like we don’t have enough, we do. Why? Because we’re in God’s hands. He will always provide for us. Sometimes it might seem like it’s taking too long, but it will arrive in God’s time, not ours. Think of the story in 1 Kings when God promised Elijah that He would bring rain after a long drought. Elijah told his servant seven times to go look for a sign of rain. Can you imagine how discouraging that wait may have been? Have you been searching for your promise again and again, finding nothing? Here’s the key point: Elijah didn’t put his trust in seeing a rain cloud—he put his trust in God. You can, too. God is with us. And we can trust that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him.

My father-in-law says, “We may not always have what we want, but God will always give us what we need.” God’s provision in our lives may not always look like we expect it to. That’s why we have to trust in God before we see the miracle.

—Leanna