Trusting God in the Dark | How to Trust God When You Don't Understand

Too often, we’re tempted to think we can’t experience God’s presence, joy and fulfillment when life is hard and we hold our breath waiting for brighter days. But what if I told you God’s favor is just as much in the valley as on the mountaintop? If you’re in a difficult season, take a deep breath and watch this video to learn the one truth that will completely change how you experience God in dark times and ignite a hope you never knew you had. Enjoy!

I wanted to come to you today to remind you of just one simple truth to encourage your soul if you’re in a challenging season of life. This is something that the Lord has really been speaking to me at this particular time in my life, but also actually showing me and that is wherever you are, that is where you are supposed to be because God makes no mistakes and He is always with you.

In today’s video, you’ll learn:

• 💜 What God promises us when we’re in difficult seasons
• 👓 How Psalm 23 can encourage you to see your challenges differently
• 💨 What’s better than simply rushing through hard times

I’m going through a season right now where I am dealing with the ending of a close relationship, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t catch me by surprise and hurt like crazy. However, through this season, God has sent me so many signs of His presence, light, joy, and purpose for me that also caught me by surprise.

I’m experiencing, and maybe you have too, that pain and purpose, heartbreak and healing, disappointment and destiny can coexist. In fact, they are often two sides of the same coin.

I’ve been reading Psalm 23 a lot lately, and verse 7 really took hold of me last week. It reads:

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (‭‭Psalm‬ ‭23‬:‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

Often, we think that God is only with us when things are good. We think that when things are going our way, we’re getting the desires of our heart, we’re healthy, our marriages are strong, our kids are well, and our business is flourishing, that it’s all a sign that God is with us right. 

But if we hold the belief that God is only with us when life is good, we’ll fall into the trap of also believing that if life is hard and challenging, God is not with us. 

Psalm 23 reveals, however,  that God is with us on the mountaintop and the valley. 

The truth is you can be heartbroken, and God‘s love covering you at the same time. 

You can experience loss, and God overwhelms you with His peace at the same time.

You can be overwhelmed and dismayed and hopeless, and still have God‘s grace and mercy chasing after you like never before.

Both can be true. 

If you’re on a mountaintop, that doesn’t mean that you just got there by yourself; it means God is with you, and if you’re in a valley, that doesn’t mean that God has forsaken you; God is with you there too. Wherever you go, God is with you. Psalm 139:7-10 says:

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.” (Psalm 139:7-10 NKJV)

If God is with you, you are right where you need to be. 

There's a particular conversation between Moses and God in Exodus Chapter 33 that has always intrigued me and inspired me. The Israelites at this time are being led by Moses throughout the wilderness as they await to enter their Promised Land. In an encounter with God, Moses makes a most interesting comment about their journey in verses 15 and 16 where he says:

“Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.” (Exodus 33:15-16 ESV)

Moses was willing to remain in the wilderness and never enter the Promised Land if God would not go with them. The promise of God's presence was more important to Moses than the promise of the land. Moses is right because what value is the Promised Land if God's not there? What value is the blessing if you have no connection to the blesser? What purpose is there to make it all the way to the top of the mountain without God? The Psalmist says:

“Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:25-26 NKJV)

The Psalmist is essentially saying; Yeah Heaven is great, I'm sure, but the reason why I'm so excited to go is not because of all the pleasure or mansions, or even seeing the people I’ve lost. Those things are great, but what I desire most is to be with God, whether I'm in heaven or on Earth, whether I'm in the wilderness, or in the Promised Land, whether I'm in the valley or on the mountain top. God's presence matters most. 

So often, we rush trying to get through hard seasons to get over obstacles and challenges, but what if in the midst of the valley, in the midst of the pain, in the middle of the struggle, that's where God's presence is? Is there a blessing on the other side of the storm? Yes, but there's also a blessing in the middle of the storm as well. And that blessing is God’s presence that promises no matter what you go through, He is always with you. 

Now I know that even when God is with you, navigating seasons of heartbreak and loss is not easy, so I invite you to watch this encouraging video where I share 4 signs God is restoring everything that you lost. 

For more encouragement, download my free Bible Study called “Worry-Free” to learn the 3 lies feeding your worry and the truth to set you free at belovedwomen.org. Thanks for watching, and until next time, be beautiful, be blessed, and beloved.