I had never known what it was like to really trust God, until the moment I had nothing left to grasp on to except God’s enduring promise to provide “redemption in abundance” (Psalm 130:7).
Since I was a teenager, I had been faithful: reading my Bible, attending church, and serving in various ministries. Throughout the years I wondered if Scripture memory and prayer really mattered in my life. Would it be okay if I just opted out of these spiritual disciplines for a while? Would it really impact my life if I didn’t read my Bible every day? I was like the men in charge of sailing Paul’s ship (Acts 27:9–11): Could I ignore God’s warning and keep sailing on without obeying Him?
But then the storm hit.
My marriage was not as healthy as I had believed it was. And one fateful night, I had the choice to either give up or trust God to restore my marriage. In a moment of crisis, God’s Word flowed from my mouth. Scriptures I didn’t even know I had retained were brought to memory. Instead of shutting down, the Spirit empowered me to pray, pray, and pray. I was now witnessing the work God had been doing all those years of faithful discipleship. He equipped me with the armor of God when I needed it most.
Though the enemy tried to knock us down, I had never felt more like the tree planted by water described in Jeremiah 17:8:
“…it sends its roots out toward a stream,
it doesn’t fear when heat comes,
and its foliage remains green.
It will not worry in a year of drought
or cease producing fruit.”
The fruit produced in our marriage from this moment on was only by the grace of God. We both knew the goodness of Jesus’s death and resurrection—to reconcile all wrongs—and it gave us the confidence to continue our marriage under the guiding hand of God. The storm was rocky, but it did not destroy us.
When life’s storms come, we can encourage those around us like Paul did to the sailors: “So take courage, men, because I believe God that it will be just the way it was told to me” (Acts 27:25). God has told us that despite the storms, He will work all things for our good and His purposes (Romans 8:28). Even when a situation is not so easily redeemable, God has told us He will still use it for good. “Indeed, everything is for your benefit so that, as grace extends through more and more people, it may cause thanksgiving to increase to the glory of God” (2Corinthians 4:15).
God can be trusted. He never leaves our side. We’ve read about God’s faithfulness in Scripture. We may have witnessed God’s faithfulness in the lives of those around us. But we experience God’s faithfulness every day through the life He has given us through His Son, Jesus. When life feels like it’s the worst, we know Jesus is still at work making all things new.
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65 thoughts on "For He Can Be Trusted"
I pray that I find the courage to trust God in these moments and don’t try to sort things myself. Rule No 1. Take it to the Lord in prayer! Time and time again I keep trying to sort situations myself and forget rule no 1!
I believe God. I believe it will be just the way he said. Storms are HARD though. It is so difficult to deal with fear and loss and grief. It is tough to understand it all. Faith is the only way. Faith beyond understanding.
Thank you God for your grace love and mercy ❤️
I believe God that it will be just the way it was told to me ♥️
Remember that God has a perfect plan for all of us and will provide when he knows it’s the perfect time.
Learning to let go without fear bc God is near, God will fight for me; The battle is His, He can be trusted. Such a timely study for me in this season. Thank you for the words. I am remembering who He is, whose I am, and reminding myself why I need to be in His word everyday.
Walking this right now. Thank you for the encouragement.
Amen.
This reading today hit me hard in all the ways it needed to. God is with us in the storms and for our suffering and faithfulness to God throughout we shall receive redemption in abundance. ❤️
Trust Him ❤️
❤️Amem
Thank you for sharing your story – it reflects mine over the last few years. It is so good to be reminded of His love and faithfulness through it all.
What struck me most about this passage is Paul’s response. He could have heard God’s words and encouragement and kept it to himself. He could have wavered whether people would even believe him and be silenced. But he chose to speak up and became and encouragement to his fellow passengers and show them a picture of God. I need this encouragement to be more vocal about my faith and take opportunities to help people around me.
❤️
“And, Lord haste the day when faith shall be sight.” From the hymn it is well with my soul. Lord we look to the day when our simple acts of trusting become sight to your promises.
❤️
8 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 17:8
Thank you for sharing this! God, open my eyes to how you’ve been providing and near to me as well.
This study has been awesome and the words from God I have needed to hear. It’s been an incredibly difficult few years with crisis after crisis and I feel like I haven’t been able to catch my breath. I’ve spent SO MUCH time feeling anxious. It’s been a spiritually dry place and a place where it’s hard to keep coming back yo the word. Recently I was praying/reflecting/acknowledging the ways that have been hard and really felt God pointing me towards looking at the ways he provided during these times. The ways he saw me when I felt alone and scared and hopeless. Honestly, I initially felt kind of annoyed because I wanted to just sit with how worn down I was. But the more God opened my eyes to the provisions, the more I was able to feel calmer even in my weariness, knowing I had not been abandoned.
Lord help me to remember this when my forest reaction is anxiety!
This study has been awesome and the words from God I have needed to hear. It’s been an incredibly difficult few years with crisis after crisis and I feel like I haven’t been able to catch my breath. I’ve spent SO MUCH time feeling anxious. It’s been a spiritually dry place and a place where it’s hard to keep coming back yo the word. Recently I was praying/reflecting/acknowledging the ways that have been hard and really felt God pointing me towards looking at the ways he provided during these times. The ways he saw me when I felt alone and scared and hopeless. Honestly, I initially felt kind of annoyed because I wanted to just sit with how worn down I was. But the more God opened my eyes to the provisions, the more I was able to feel calmer even in my weariness, knowing I had not been abandoned.
So grateful for God
So thankful for the stories many of you have shared, thank you for your wisdom, hind sights, tenderness and honesty. Going through a storm does strengthen us and also brutally strip us of our securities. Truly there’s no guarantee. This reminds me of the verse, Whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it (Matthew 16:25). So the key to finding life is to be ready to lose it. That’s terrifying isn’t it? But there is a GOD who meant what He says. We won’t really lose anything for His name, as long as it’s for Him, we simply will just find everything we give away, they will all just come back to us, like a boomerang. For this I am confident. Be blessed sisters! Have a good weekend!
Prayer group*
❤️
Sisters, just remember that even when things seem hopeless God is still working , and we don’t have to have perfect faith for him to answer our prayers.
I love this devotional series so much! I love that God is faithful even when we are not. Today is my five year wedding anniversary, so I am remembering the day I met my husband. We met at a prayer hours at our church. I almost didn’t go because I mad at God that I hadn’t found my husband yet. I didn’t know how much longer I could wait and was starting to doubt that I would ever find him. I decided to go to the prayer light more out of duty than desire. I am so glad God had great plans for me that night, even though I didn’t deserve it❤️
Acts 27: 1-25 reminds me so much of how we (sometimes) go through our own plans. When we get prideful, when we close our hearts God, when we don’t trust him… we fail. But when we trust God, and give HIM the victory… there’s nothing to fear! Sure, sometimes we might not always succeed, and we might not always get what we need or want… but in everything, we need to trust God. I hope that we can do that.
Bailey’s last two sentences, “But we experience God’s faithfulness every day through the life He has given us through His Son, Jesus. When life feels like it’s the worst, we know Jesus is still at work making all things new.”, “ring home” to me in my lifetime. In my 63 years, I’ve buried two loved ones I feel I shouldn’t have buried — a son and a niece — both due to tragic accidents. BUT GOD, BUT JESUS, BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT!!!! I knew where to turn each time. I knew my faith would carry me through — yes family and friends were there to help but the Lord is the ONE who got me through the really tough and hard times afterwards.
I have a prayer request, my friend, Susie (whom I’ve mentioned before), may have pneumonia now. And her husband Paul is due to go to Mayo for treatment on Tuesday and Wednesday and she can’t get in to see her doctor until next Wednesday. (They live about a 6 or 7 hour drive from Mayo Clinic.)
Sisters, be blessed and know you can always turn to and trust the LORD. Have a great weekend.
I’m so happy for you and Steve, GRAMSIESUE! Praise the Lord!
This is such a great study. I love all the comments and I am so blessed by you gals. Steve and I had some good news here in the midst of our storm. The MRI yesterday shows no new growth of his tumor since his surgery 3.5 weeks ago. This gives us a good place to begin radiation and chemo starting next Tuesday. We are on top of this…ahead of it. Well, not us but God. So thankful for his hand in our storm. Keep praying ladies. We can feel the prayers of so many. Hugs and blessings. ❤️
Karrie, Austin Olivia, and GramsieSue, praying for you and your husbands. God is faithful.
Thankful for all of the SRT sisters for sharing their stories today. Lifting up those in prayer who are hurting or facing trials.
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We are all facing some kind of storm and we must have faith in God to get through it. In this world we will have many storms but in our Eternal life our world will be perfect, sinless, loving, kind, beautiful, everlasting peace!
8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; – 2 Corinthians 4:8
16 Better is the little that the righteous has
than the abundance of many wicked. – Psalms 37:16
We are all going through some kind of storm but if we have faith in God He will bring us through the storm. In this world we will have many battles but in our Eternal world we will have love, kindness, grace, humility, sinless with everlasting peace.
RHONDA J – I would love to be friends on Facebook! There are too many with your name to know which one is you. Can you look me up and send a friend request? Traci Gendron my picture is of Tanner and I. He has on an aloha tee and I’m wearing a hat.
8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; – 2 Corinthians 4:8
16 Better is the little that the righteous has
than the abundance of many wicked. – Psalms 37:16
Oops. You are not a FOREVER failure
God never left my side and He never will. Just like Paul He will do the same thing for you and I. And I’m not gonna lie it might be lonely and scary, very scary but there’s no place I’d rather be than trusting in the Lord.
8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; – 2 Corinthians 4:8
When Tanner was 4 I left my husband. He drank too much, said terrible things to me, and was very negative. I was scared to death. But God got me through it, even though He doesn’t like divorce. I prayed in thanks daily for giving me the hands to do my work. I was a hairdresser. He blessed me beyond my imagination. I made enough money to pay the medical bills and put Tanner in a christian school. I had help from my parents and a lovely woman. Her son and Tanner became the best of friends. I still had moments of fear. All I had to do was look back at how far He had taken me. Sometimes when fear rears its ugly head, I have to remind myself to look back and see how far God has taken me. We forget to remember.
Thank you for this devotional series! I have been struggling this winter, my heart feels heavy most days. Praying for peace in Canada, and restoration in our country, communities, churches, and families. I read all of Psalm 37 this morning. The Lord is faithful, and He will uphold the righteous. I pray that we can “rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him” (v.7). Thank you Lord.
Wow. I could have been the author of todays devotion. Yes, God rescued us!! Yes we prayed! And 30+ years since that terrible night we are still together, still trusting God!!
When our daughters were pre—teens I hung a plaque on the wall in the hallway between their rooms. It is still there. It reads “You usually end up in the direction in which you are headed.” It was to encourage them to contemplate the consequences of the choices they make.
When you set out on an already stormy sea, you should probably anticipate some difficulty. Change course. Delay the trip. Review the weather forecast. Paul did the wisest thing and checked in with God. Paul had no control over the captain’s decision to set sail anyway but Paul also knew the captain wasn’t really in control.
There is another sign outside our daughters’ rooms. It says “God is able.” When the storm hits, when the consequences are more severe than you thought, you are not without hope. God is in control. He can bring good out of a poor decision. Making a foolish choice need not define you. God can change your course.
Yes, you usually end up in the direction you’re headed. So decide today what your preferred future is and set your GPS accordingly. Remember, if you wander off course or get distracted and take a wrong turn, you are not not a forget failure. You need not turn around and give up on the journey. God is able to reroute you when you trust in Him and follow His directions. He is entirely trustworthy. His Word tells you the obstacles ahead. He knows the road closures. He will never drop you off on the side of the road. He’ll escort you, singing, the entire way. He’ll get you where you need to be.
I’m praying for divine healing. My husband has struggled with depression for years and it is back now and heavier than its ever been. He needs health and hope. I need wisdom and peace and discernment. We are both reaching out to individual therapists today and I pray we find the perfect fit. We are tired.
This reading could not have been more fitting for me at the moment. In the middle of the storm right now (actually a blizzard here). A storm that has been ongoing for a year and a half. A storm that made me leave my husband and buy my own house. A storm that has cause turmoil with my teenage daughters. But I’ve sat with God daily, prayed, read my bible and have had so many conversations with God that I wonder if he could possibly be tired of listening to me. I see a sliver of hope these days, my husband is opening up and will do anything to make things better. I put it all in Gods hands because I had nothing left and he told me to just sit and wait. I sit and pray that God will help my girls to soften their hearts toward my husband and our family will be restored and he will show me what I need to do next. This SRT study has been my saving grace since this all happened. I discovered it at the time everything came crashing around me and I thank u ladies who comment daily, it has been great help to me. ❤️
I can relate to Baily’s testimony above. Marriage division can really break you to your knees. Unfortunately mine did not end in reconciliation but in divorce. Divorce is devastating. Divorce is hard for the children. But there is hope and guidance in the Lord. I had friends in similar situations, and their solace and comfort were found in other ways, going out to bars drinking and hookups. They wanted me to join in, and I did for a bit. But God- He wanted me, and was calling out to me. I cried and wrote in my journal. I had other friends that invited me to their church and small group, and they loved on me. YOU have a choice of how your respond in the storms and scary waves. You decide your actions! Will you trust and obey in the valleys? Be like Paul in our study today?
I hope you will find solace in God’s word. Lean into Him, and He will sustain you. You will feel his love and arms around you.
Praying for you always Tracy Gendron, Martha Hix, and others that have lost loved ones. Praying for your brother Sharon, Jersey Girl. And thanks for your story the other morning. Praying for all of our needs, that only our God can comfort and heal. – R
All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
Lifting this up in prayer. I waited for 10 years for a relationship to be restored, God provided in the meantime. I would not trade the last 10 years of waiting for what I have right now.
@ Allison Mitchell–I know that singing praise songs before sleep will be a blessing to you!! Praying it for you!
@ Taylor- I love your heart, so young and tender, and eager for God! I wish I would have done that in my twenties! So many mistakes and regrets, in a sinful lifestyle, although I didn’t realize it. I think you would love the study I am doing right now, The Armor of God by Priscilla Shriver. It is so good to focus on the temptations of the devil, and how to pray against it, and stand firm in God’s word. The study book is good to have, and you can watch on youtube I believe the summation of each week.
Praying against cancer in Steve and the name I have forgotten but God knows. That is one of my top fears. My sister and I said once that we probably would not get cancer because I would not be strong or represent Christ; I would be a baby and cry, whine, and complain. I think now I have grown so much in my walk with God, I could handle the battles better that are guaranteed to come my way, yet that is scary in itself. We don’t want or ask for these battles and heartbreaks. But reading the word, and knowing what all the prophets and disciples went through, we have to stand strong and TRUST and OBEY. (which is a good hymnal to sing in our mind!)
Have a good Friday She’s! Does anyone want to be “friends” on social media??! I would love it! I’m Rhonda Johnson on FB, or FMB_Dreamer on IG
Churchmouse – Thank you for sharing, the other day, your witness of God, El Roi, in your life. We are truly blessed, to look back over the years praise-fully recognizing and thanking God for Who He is in every part of our journey. We each have unique stories and experiences. God is there for every one of His children, individually and corporately. I believe that will be part of the joy of Heaven, when we are in His presence, the unknown will become known and we will be amazed at the love, grace, and tender mercies of our God that we thought we knew, but were so much bigger than could be understood or imagined in our present form.
I’m also praying for your healing from the dental treatment and praising your peace in the praise.
Annie Thompson – I’m praying for you, and your husband, as he begins chemo.
Grammie Sue and Steve – very similar prayers except, you’ve been on this road a little longer. Grace and peace, stamina, hope, and healing to each of you couples.
Sharon, Jersey girl – I pray your brother Duane is getting the care he needs and is able to be battle through. May this cause his immune system to be even stronger.
Tricia Anderson – praying for your son.
Rachel – Thanks for sharing what your worship leader said, “songs are prayers wrapped in melody.” So good.
I’ve had so many interruptions during my “quiet time” this morning. Interruptions that will be used to glorify God I pray. I’ve been trying to finish this little post since 5am!
A tiny detail stuck out to me this morning in scripture. The Centurion assigned to Paul respected him and was kind to him. However, when he had to choose to listen to the pilot of the ship or what Paul was telling him, he went with the pilot. Paul had no choice but to do what they said. He did have a choice about his attitude. He knew the warnings he had been given were from God. He chose to remain calm, trust God, and minister to those God had placed him with. My attitude is a choice, a choice founded in whether I believe God is Sovereign, that He loves me, and that I can trust Him. A tiny detail with HUGE foundational power.
Ladies this study has been speaking to me so much. I had mentioned how I felt a battle of temptation coming but didn’t feel strong enough to fight it. I prayed and prayed but knew I didn’t have strength to resist the temptation. Well the Lord so clearly intervened and fought and won the battle for me. I sit here in awe at how He protected me when I willingly went into the lions den and was going to fall into sin. I praise Him that He fought FOR me and WON. It is all God. This divine intervention situation has given me more confidence to trust Him and His plan for me, and to obey His calling. Please pray for strength that when more temptation comes (and I know it will because Satan always tries to throw us off course when we are walking in God’s will for our lives) I will be able to resist and walk firmly and freely where God has called me. I hope everyone has a blessed weekend <3
When I was a little girl, my mom got a piñata for my birthday party. After all the little kids got a good whack or two in, the thing was still intact. The anticipation of candy spilling out became a little tense, and the fun was turning to frustration. This colorful container hanging in the tree teased us with the bountiful treasures that we knew were in there. We wanted that candy! Finally an adult stepped in to take care of business. A couple of good swings and crack! The piñata was busted, and out came… a tiny terracotta vase. WHAT?! My mom didn’t realize she was supposed to PREFILL the piñata. Needless to say, my friends and I were not impressed. This tiny earthen vessel was not what we expected. This was not a treasure to us! But wow, WE are so valuable to God, that our frail human bodies are what contain the knowledge of HIM. He didn’t want perfect vessels, He wanted US. I just love that. He fills us with His perfect Spirit, so that we can display His beauty. In this world we have trouble, but by taking heart in the knowledge and experience of His love, He overcame the world for us. Our faces are unveiled when we turn to the Lord, and we are transformed. From glory to glory. There is no need for striving to be perfect on the outside when God is perfecting us on the inside. If we are afraid, He will shine truth. This is where the beauty of Jesus brings staying power and peace. All the shiny, colorful packages in the world will never bring lasting help, contentment, or freedom. But we, “with unveiled faces… are being transformed from glory to glory… and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom!” (2 Cor 3:17-18)
Absolutely.Praying that we keep safe with no loss of life.Wind speed of 122 mph just recorded off the Isle of Wight,across the water from where I live and can see from our local beach.
“always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” I never fully understood that until now. So powerful!
Bailey’s story parallels my own in many ways. God prompted me to become more disciplined and deliberate about reading His Word and praying every morning two years before my big storm hit. When my husband confessed his affair to me and my world shut down in multiple ways (many other things came crashing down around this one confession), without the discipline I had built prior to that, I don’t think I would have made it through. I instantly felt God speak to me through my prayer time, my Bible reading. I felt so ministered to by my Lord during that time, when truthfully, many of our friends abandoned us. I am so thankful for that time with Him, although it was the deepest valley I ever walked through. It took many years to come out of it. The whole time I clung to the Lord in a way I never had to before. Our marriage is restored, but in a redeemed way. We are not the same. But we are both stronger in our reliance on the Lord and will never take the fact that we need Him to sit squarely in the center of our marriage in order to make it through.
This was fitting to read today. A friend of mine has been through many storms ever since her husband has become an elder at our church. They are now in a storm of breast cancer. They have 3 little girls. She is in her thirties. Please pray for her and her family. She has helped me through many
storms here recently. So please also pray for ways that my husband and I can help them
Prayer request: I thought God would restore a relationship I had been praying about but restoration hasn’t come and seems so impossible now. I have learned that with or without the relationship I will be okay but I still would like it to be restored and made better.
How powerful it is to hear the direct voice of God. To know for certain that is Him orchestrating all of the smallest details. But the real question is, do we listen? Even when it’s not part of the original plan? Or do we keep charging on? God, give me faith to hear you and move in your direction even when the momentary, fleeting details seem muddy. I know you have the ultimate outcome already in your hands.
RHONDA, I love your idea from yesterday about singing worship songs in your head before going to sleep! I usually fret about whatever my OCD is making me panic about, and that is a great idea to refocus on the Lord. Thanks for the advice!
My OCD has been acting up a bit in the past couple of days, so if you all could pray that I surrender my fears to the Lord and trust in Him (He can be trusted!!!!!) I would really appreciate it.
May we all surrender our fears to You, O Lord. Please fill us up with faith in You and keep Your promises of peace and safeguarding on our hearts and minds so that we might never forget and always turn to You and trust You. We love you, God. Amen.
God does not leave His own ever. Not even a single Word. Loved this!!
Reading through yesterday’s comments and someone (or two) mentioned the song, He’s got the whole world in His hands. It brought up a memory from many years ago. When a dear friend passed away, I was at their house running interference with visitors while they rested or were consumed with things that had to be done at a time like that. One woman came to the door and asked me to hold out my hand, and she placed a golfball-sized globe there and said to please tell the family that this is the view from God’s perspective, He does have the whole world in His hands. When things seem to be impossible to deal with or at their worst, I need to trust Him and His word – He’s got me in His hands.
Praying for each request mentioned. Missing FOSTER MAMA, ERB and others.
I was meant to read this. Thankyou. There is hope.
This event mirrors the time the disciples were fighting a storm while Jesus slept in the boat. Eben though Paul did not sleep through the strom, he was calm and at peace in the midst of it.
ANNIE THOMPSON – praying for you as you go through your chemo.
SHARON, JERSEY GIRL – praying for Duane
DANIELLA HAYES – so sorry for your loss
RACHEL ROMERO – praying for your husband’s situation
TRICIA ANDERSON – praying for your son and that the time spent incarcerated serves as a motivator for life changes.
Very appropriate here in the uk in the middle of storm Eunice