Why is Trusting God so Hard at Times?

Do you know why trusting and obeying the Lord can be so challenging at times? It's because He asks us to trust Him BEFORE it makes sense.

I love the account of Gideon in the Bible. In Judges chapter 6, an angel of the Lord visits Gideon as he separates the wheat from the chaff. The angel tells Gideon that the Lord is with him. Gideon responds kinda like, "Are you serious? I've heard about this mighty God and the miracles that He performed for our ancestors, but He left us. He has allowed the Midianites to defeat us."

Ever feel like that? Ever think that the Lord is not with you? When you look around, do you see defeat every which way you turn? Well, you are in good company. So many of the faithful in the Bible felt the exact same way!

The angel of the Lord goes on to tell Gideon that God has chosen him to deliver Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Gideon responds with doubt, "Can't be me. My family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least important member of my family."

This is one of my favorite things about God! Over and over again, He chooses the weakest people to perform the mightiest acts. So if you are feeling weak, take heart; this is exactly when God can use you.

The angel goes on to tell Gideon that the Lord is with him and He will defeat Midian like defeating one man. So Gideon starts with a big army of about 32,000, still small in comparison to Midian’s army of 135,000. But God says it's too many people, so he tells anyone who is scared to leave. So 22,000 bounce, leaving only 10,000. Then God takes them down to the water, and those who lap it up like a dog get to stay, leaving only 300.

Imagine being Gideon. God just whittled your army down to 300 people? This makes zero sense! See, Gideon had to trust God BEFORE it made any sense. This is why it is so difficult. It's easy to read about in the Bible and see how it all worked out in the end, but when you are in the middle of doing something the Lord asked you to do, it likely will not make sense.

So do not be discouraged. You are in good company if what the Lord is asking you to do defies logic. Keep praying and trusting Him. Keep surrendering your will to His each and every moment. Stay close to Him. Let Him lead.

I love that the Lord’s word is described as a "lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105). This light is not a floodlight; it's more like a candle. You can only see enough for each step that you take; you cannot see the entire path. Our job is to trust the Lord to illuminate just the next step, even when we don’t know where it leads.

Praying for you! I know how hard this can be, but I also know the peace that is found in surrender. If you feel His peace and His presence, you are walking in step with Him.