“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.” - Psalm 9:10

When It’s Hard to Trust

At times, I allow my concerns for my grown children too much time in my head. I rehearse their struggles. I lament about where they’re at with God. I want to fix and rescue them because that’s what I did when they were young. I make God small, as I magnify their problems.

We find ourselves in this dark place of fear and doubt, don’t we, mommas? We’re perplexed and overwhelmed with our children’s difficult circumstances. We wonder why they walked away from Him. We fear for their future. We doubt their ability to make wise decisions. We question God’s ways. 

We have two options in this season of motherhood: We can spend our days obsessed with our offspring’s struggles, worried, our lives devoid of peace, or we can experience the calm that comes from trusting God.  

It’s normal to worry about our loved ones, but it becomes sin when we don’t turn it over to God. When we struggle with a lack of trust, it’s helpful to ask ourselves why do we struggle to trust God? What is it about His character that is lacking? Why do we want things to go the way we think they should? Why do we feel this need to control outcomes?

What The Bible Says About Trust

A short jaunt through the scriptures and we find endless reasons why God is trustworthy. Here are a few:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” - Proverbs 3:5-6

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.” - Psalm 37:4-5

“Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” - Psalm 33:20-22

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.” - Isaiah 26:3-4

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” - Isaiah 12:2

“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.” - Psalm 9:10

“When I am afraid,I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” - Psalm 56:3-4

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” - Jeremiah 17:7-8

Four Reasons Why You Can Trust God

God shows us through His Word, why He is trustworthy. Here are four reasons why you can trust Him:

1. He helps you. God promises to help you. He’s utterly concerned with the burdens you carry about your grown child. His help comes in endless ways: comfort, provision, wisdom, support, and protection. He’s a good father who takes care of His children. Your job in this season is to pay attention to God’s activity in your life so you can recognize His help. Connect His activity to your prayers. He sees how you struggle in this season and He anxiously awaits to assist you when you are ready to ask for His help. “Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and shield.” - Psalm 33:20 

2. He is faithful to you when you are not. While you struggle to be dependable or devoted, it is the cornerstone of God’s character. He will do what He says. He is steady, reliable, and consistent. He is unlike fickle humans. He is your perfect God, resolute and immovable in all His ways. His faithfulness will see you through every difficult situation with your offspring. “If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.” - 2 Timothy 2:13

3. He cannot lie to you. While you struggle to stand on the promises of God and wonder if His truth applies to your situation with your adult child, God steadies you with the truth from His Word. The Holy Spirit illuminates the precious promises of scripture so you have the strength to stand. Reliable, honest, and true are the foundations of the Godhead. This is a sweet encouragement for the worried momma. “And he who is the Glory of Israel will not lie, nor will he change his mind, for he is not human that he should change his mind!” - 1 Samuel 15:29

4. He is with you always. When you experience spiritual amnesia, you forget God’s promised presence. You wander around in the dark feeling alone and overwhelmed, while God waits close by for you to turn to Him. How could your life change if you turned to God immediately in your distress? Could moving closer provide the peace you are longing for? You are never without God! Never! Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:20

The ability to trust God in this season is imperative for the emotionally overwhelmed mom. As we adapt to this new way of not having our children near, our connection with God will help us learn to trust Him. As we endeavor to move closer to God, He will reveal His trustworthiness.   

Let’s pray.

Dear Papa, I acknowledge it’s difficult for me to trust You with my adult kids. I allow their problems to overwhelm me and it causes me to not find you trustworthy. Help me understand Your great character and realize You are at work. You see them and know them. Help me lay my burdens at Your feet because You are trustworthy.  Increase my knowledge and understanding of Your trustworthiness and renew my mind as I think of Your Word. Amen

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