Trusting God

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8–9 NIV

One phone call is all it took to change our stepfamily forever. “I just got the news. She passed away earlier today,” my husband, Randy, said. After a yearlong struggle with cancer, the beloved mom of my teenage stepchildren had passed. My stepchildren would now face life without her. The finality of Randy’s words sent chills down my spine. My heart ached for them.

Randy and I had been praying for healing for his former wife. But that didn’t happen. I knew the effects of the loss would soon be felt in our home. We had weathered some rough storms in our nine years as a stepfamily and were finally settling into comfortable relationships. I was thankful for our newfound harmony. Losing their mom would leave a cavernous hole in my stepchildren’s hearts. It was only natural that our relationships might suffer.

The path before us lay unmapped. My mind was bombarded with questions that had no answers.

• Would the children move across state lines and come live with us?
• Could our home accommodate two more?
• How would they cope as they struggled to accept their mom was gone?
• What could we do to help with their troubled emotions?

I had to trust God.

Solutions didn’t surface quickly. We waded through months of confusion and anxiety. At times, Randy and I didn’t see eye to eye. Tension mounted. Tempers flared. My faith wavered as we faced trying circumstances I couldn’t change.

Finally, I let go. I surrendered to God’s plan, and I trusted His guiding hand.

My stepdaughter opted to continue college and didn’t relocate. My stepson lived with his sister, younger half-brother, and stepdad for almost a year before finally moving in with us. During that time, we encountered uncertainty and questions. Peace came only as we gave up the need for control, trusting God with the outcome.

It’s been almost two decades now since my stepchildren lost their mom. They endured a difficult season, but they found healing for their loss. They’re both thriving as adults, and I’m thankful for healthy, loving relationships with them.

I still struggle with trusting God at times. It’s difficult for me to let go. Too often, I want it to be my way, not His way. But I’ve learned He can be trusted, even when I don’t understand. I know His ways are sovereign.

Help me, heavenly Father, to trust Your ways, even when I don’t understand. Guide me through our tumultuous waters to sunnier days ahead.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

We can trust God, even when we don’t understand His plan.