Change is hard. When change is hard I struggle to be still and trust God. What would happen if we learned to trust God when change comes?
It sweeps in like a tsunami taking out entire parts of my life when it crashes down. In the aftermath, I am confused and raw, unsure how to rebuild.
What happens when the thing or person you depend on for security changes? Does life fall into chaos? Do you retreat inside yourself to feel safe again? I do. Change is hard.
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
How Can I Be Still and Trust God?
I still remember the day I ran into Jesus’ arms. Something horrible had happened – again. I was 6 and hiding behind the couch, rocking myself, praying it would never happen again.
I remember knowing Jesus was there, feeling Him in that hard moment, and knowing He wouldn’t leave me. I could never depend on the people around me for protection, provision, or security. But looking back I can see that God always took care of me.
A lifetime of hardship, disappointment, and failure has tainted my ability to trust people. Even though God was always there (maybe because He didn’t just pluck me out of the horrible situation) I even struggled to trust Him.
I’ve always asked these questions:
- How do people trust God?
- How do people learn to be still when life is so hard?
Letting go and trusting God has been a lifelong lesson. Today’s verse in our series looking at be still Bible verses fit into this life lesson.
We can learn to be still and trust God even when change is hard! Be still and know that I am God absolutely applies to seasons of change.
Trusting God in All Circumstances
“Be silent, you inhabitants of the coastland, You merchants of Sidon;” (Isaiah 23:2 AMP)
Isaiah 23 is so fascinating. This case of “be still” happens mid-prophecy where the destruction of an ancient city is foretold.
No one expected Tyre to be destroyed because of its history, location, and popularity. God, however, knew the people were depending on Tyre when they should have been depending on Him.
About Tyre:
- Tyre wasn’t a bad city as bad cities go.
- The city of Tyre was ancient.
- People depended on it to always be there because it had always been there.
- Tyre had survived many attacks and was well fortified, further increasing the feeling of invincibility.
- Other nations depended on Tyre for trade.
- Losing this city would have a huge impact.
- Tyre was near Israel.
Be Still and Trust God Through Change
What we observe from the phrase be still in Isaiah 23:2 caught me off guard.
God said, “Be still and trust me as I change everything you thought you could depend on in this world.”
I. Hate. Change.
Change is Hard.
Tyre gave it all she had, delaying its fall for over 10 years. In the end, however, the city was left in ruins. The text tells us the nations mourned the loss of Tyre and through the grief God expected them to be still.
Change is hard but we can be still and trust God through it…. not just while we wait for things to settle… not just when its all good change… but through any change we can trust in God.
Change always comes in waves of hard times and chaos, doesn’t it?!?!?
What Do You Depend On In Life?
My gut reaction is, ‘I depend on no one and nothing because people fail and things change.’
Does that surprise you? You were expecting the Church answer, ‘I always depend on God’. Well, I do depend on God… until I don’t. Can you relate?
God has allowed a lot of crazy messed-up stuff into my life and I go back and forth about trusting Him. My lack of trust shows because God is always repeating this lesson of teaching me to trust Him… by allowing change and hardship.
LOL. This is a vicious cycle. You’d think I’d just give it up… but the control freak in me paired with the anxiety disorder war with the Spirit of God within me that wants to be still and trust God all the time.
A Safe Place
Church has always been my safe place. The blessing of grace that covers you in Church – and the presence of God, even amidst the fallibility of Christians that roam its halls – always comforts me.
But even churches change. Pastors come and go. Christians move their membership over the smallest things that go against their preference.
People change. Places change.
God never changes, which is why we can be still and trust Him.
Related Post: To the Wife Who Needs Security in a Christian Marriage
Did you find this mid-series? Keep up with the series here and get the reading guide below.
Where Do You Look for Security?
As we try to apply Isaiah 23:2 I am led to a question.
What is the thing or who is the person you place your security in?
I remember as a young naive girl, placing my hopes in marriage to bring security and happiness. Sadly, regardless of how my marriage is, my husband changes and can’t meet the expectation of being my security.
Our church goes through changes every few years that throw me into a tailspin – the church can’t make me feel secure.
Honestly, there was a time when I separated myself, closed off my heart, and depended on only myself out of fear.
If everyone and everything around me was going to change, then I would just do everything myself and only trust in myself. I cringe even writing that but it is true.
Have you ever shut everyone out and tried to do it all yourself?
Related Post: 3 Powerful Reasons to Fix a Lack of Respect in Marriage
Self-Reliance Leads to Idolatry
Bet you found bitterness and burnout waiting for you if you tried to be all the things for yourself… The result of self-reliance is often burnout.
- God made us for relationships.
- We are intended to live in a community and support each other.
- We are intended to stay connected to God!
- To become self-reliant leaves God out.
- When I trust only in myself I make myself an idol in my life.
Idolatry – to trust in anyone or anything more than God, to look to anyone or anything for help before looking to God.
Are you trusting in something or someone more than you trust in God?
This is an area of sin where I often struggle.
Related Post: Giving it to God: 5 Ways to Let Go and Let God
When change is hard I struggle to be still and trust God. What would happen if we learned to trust God when change comes? Share on XDependence On What?
It’s easy to become more dependent on things and people in life than we depend on God without even realizing it happened. That was the story of Tyre. We are just going through life day after day living, working, sleeping, shopping, worshiping, and all the rest. Idolatry sneaks in amidst the busyness and chaos
Things I depend on in no particular order:
- The grocery store.
- My job.
- My husband’s job.
- Electricity (whew a blackout will make you realize this fast!)
- Running water.
- The furnace.
- My cell phone (I do not know one single phone number anymore)
Is it wrong to depend on things in life?
Nope.
Depending on someone or something is not wrong. The problem comes when we place our security in those things rather than God. I am going to repeat that for you.
The problem comes (the sin comes) when we place our security in those things – rather than God!
And honestly, you may not even realize you don’t have security in God until something changes in one of the things you depend on. Whew that’s a mouthful. Our idolatry is revealed when something we depend on – more than God- changes.
Then you can clearly see the idol standing in the rubble of the change that was hard.
Let Go and Trust God
We can learn to be still and trust God when change is hard because we know He is up to something! This is all about letting go and trusting God!
You read that right!
Let go and trust God.
How?
Recently, God showed me I was depending on myself – again – shutting my husband out in the area of our finances. It took a hard change to make me see it. Change can be good when we let God use it to reveal our hearts and change us, molding us more into His image.
Related Post: Letting go and trusting God
Let Go And Let God Prayer Bundle
Devastation Can Be Good
As I sat in the ashes of a huge financial mistake – looking at my idol in the face – I was devastated.
How had I shifted my dependence from looking to God to supply all my needs to tight-fisted control? When did this desire for security -that I could supply all my needs- creep in?
The shift happens slowly over time when my eyes stop looking to God every day. There’s an old song called “A Slow Fade” that says it all.
“It’s a slow fade when you give yourself away
It’s a slow fade when black and white are turned to gray
And thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It’s a slow fade, it’s a slow fade”
It doesn’t happen in a day.
Slow step by slow look by slow action, idols are set up. Praise to God for the change He brings to tear down the idols we didn’t even realize we had set up!
When change comes I freak out. However, as I look back I can see that most changes were God’s way of opening my eyes to how dependent I had become on something – not HIM.
When change comes, be still and trust God. To let go and trust God you trust His heart – even if you aren’t sure what His hand is up to!
What Happens When You Trust God?
When you trust God instead of trying to control the things that are changing you will notice a shift.
- Faith grows when you trust God in change and hard seasons.
As you see God moving, be open to the heart change He longs to work in your life. It’s a change I wish would stick for life. The problem is that I keep going back and forth with it. Can you relate?
What does God say about being still?
What does the Bible say about trusting God?
As we ask these questions in this series and truly apply the answers, change will begin happening. My prayer is that these changes will lead to a deeper walk of faith for each of us!
More Than Reading Devotionals
We are looking at many trust in the Lord Bible verses, Bible verses about trust in relationships, and learning about trusting God in difficult times. In order to really change we have to do more than just read over these devotionals. We have to practice the applications. We have to pray through the tough parts.
It’s not enough to see 10 reasons to trust God or read through a whole list of Bible characters who trusted God. We have to trust God.
Stop for a moment and let that sink deeper. You have to trust God.
Personally.
Intentionally.
Daily.
Your daily trust is the thing that brings change. Just step right out in faith today and trust Him through the hard change.
Related Post: How to Study Bible Characters
A Prayer to Be Still and Trust God When Change is Hard
Jesus,
You gave the nation’s warning of the change and still, it was hard. They mourned the fall of Tyre which gives me peace that it’s not wrong when I mourn the changes in my life. Lord, when change is hard I do anything but trust You. I complain, criticize, gossip, and wallow in fear. Forgive me.
Change my heart to be still and trust You. Help me trust Your heart even when I can’t understand the need for change. Open my eyes to see what You are revealing during the change. Teach me to be still, to be silent from grumbling, and to mourn the change in a healthy and godly way.
Lord, You know the changes I am struggling with today. I submit to You, Your plan, Your way, and Your timing. Have your own way, Lord. Shield me and protect me through the changes. I will give You all the praise and glory.
Amen.
Can You Try to Be Still and Trust God More Today?
I don’t know what hard thing you are facing.
There could be some hard changes in the midst of your life that are causing all the walls to crumble in your life. That’s how it feels for me in this season.
Maybe your marriage is in a tough season. Perhaps your church has split. For some, a child has left the nest, a job has changed or health is faltering. Whatever the difficult issues are, God is right there with you.
What would it look like today to step out in faith in the midst of the change?
Earlier I shared about a financial challenge that has shaken me. Faith in that situation for me meant I had to stop complaining about it to everyone with ears around me and start praying about it instead. Trusting God meant I had to talk to Him about my need for security and my struggle with respect and submission.
Maybe for you it means moving or volunteering to help rather than voice displeasure. It could be that you need to say yes to something you’re afraid of. Perhaps you need to say no to someone and that scares you. I don’t know, but God does.
Don’t just read this. Pray it through. Ask HIM to show you how to be still and trust God more today. He will show you if you ask with open hands and an open heart.
Can I pray over you in this hard choice?
in HIM,
Tiffany of Hope Joy in Christ inspires Christian Women to grow in faith, live out Biblical Marriage Principles and raise Godly Children. Join the Wives Only Facebook Group here or keep up with her through Pinterest.
If you enjoyed this post you will love these:
How great that you have church as a support for you! Change is hard, so it’s nice to have faith!
It really is and that is my prayer for everyone Patricia!
It is so great to have God to rely on! It’s always good to think about the overarching purpose of life and that someone is watching over us who loves us deeply.
Amen to that Jennifer. It reassures us when life is hard.
This is a great reminder!
It was for me too. Praying over you Amanda and your business today.
Such a wonderful read! So great that you have your church and all the faith to help you get through change and everything that comes with it.
Thanks Katherine, for stopping by!
Thank you for this. Makes me think of the expression ” When one door closes, a window opens.” (or something like that) 🙂
That one always sticks with me too Julie. Me personally… I tend to try to knock the closed door down. Not the best way 😉
Oh so much truth. Change is hard, and if we don’t rely on Jesus, and Him alone, we will always be let down. I also rely on electricity (2 days without that is tough these days!), but at one point in our marriage I realized how much I looked to my husband to make me happy. I depended on his approval and love to carry me, and only when I realized this was I able to grow closer to God.
Yes, it’s a startling reality check when God show’s us things that have sneaked in to take His place… But getting back to Him is as simple as a step and a prayer. Thanks for sharing your story here, Marilyn!
Great post on trusting God! Visiting from Grace and Truth linkup.
Liberty
Praying over you today and thanks for visiting, Liberty!
So much change and hurt in a life can impact us to either trust God or run from Him. Or some of us go back and forth! I think what matters is that we keep coming back…just as you reveal in your post. So thankful that you keep running back to the Lord even though you’ve experienced tough times. Such a great witness!
That’s it exactly! Just keep running back to HIM, Amy!