# How To Trust God When Life Doesn't Make Sense - Canonical: https://www.iamreborn.net/blog/how-to-trust-god - Author: Daniel Ziedins (https://www.iamreborn.net/about-daniel-ziedins) - Published: 2026-11-05 - Reading time: 4 minutes ## Short answer Trusting God means resting your full weight on His character and promises when you can't see how things will turn out — not pretending everything is fine. Proverbs 3:5–6 says to trust in the LORD with all your heart and not lean on your own understanding. Trust grows as you know Him (Psalm 9:10), and the cross proves He is for you: He who did not spare His own Son will graciously give us all things (Romans 8:32). Grow in trust by being honest with God (Psalm 62:8), praying “I believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24), reading Scripture, remembering His faithfulness, handing over specific worries and obeying the next step. It's easy to say you trust God when nothing is at stake. It's harder when the diagnosis comes back, the job disappears, the prayer goes unanswered, or the person you love walks away. That's when trust stops being a word and becomes a decision. > 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 ## What trusting God actually means Trusting God isn't pretending everything is fine, and it isn't a feeling you have to manufacture. It's **putting your weight on who God is** — His character and His promises — when you can't yet see how things will turn out. Proverbs doesn't say "don't use your understanding." It says don't _lean_ on it. Think, plan, ask questions — but rest your full weight on Him, not on your ability to figure it all out. Trust is closely related to faith (see [What Is Faith?](https://www.iamreborn.net/blog/what-is-faith)). Faith receives what God promises; trust keeps leaning on Him while you wait for it. ## Why trusting God is so hard - **We want control.** Trust means admitting we can't hold everything together. - **We've been let down before.** People broke their word, so we assume God will too. - **We confuse God's timing with God's absence.** Silence feels like neglect (read [How To Wait On God](https://www.iamreborn.net/blog/how-to-wait-on-god)). - **We judge His love by our circumstances.** When life hurts, we conclude He doesn't care. - **We don't really know Him.** It's hard to trust someone you rarely spend time with. That last one matters most. Trust grows in proportion to knowledge. "Those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you" (Psalm 9:10). You can't force trust — but you can get to know the One you're trusting. ## The cross settles the question > He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? > > — Romans 8:32 When you wonder whether God is for you, don't look first at your circumstances. Look at the cross. God has already given the most costly thing He had. A God who gave His Son for you is not going to abandon you in the middle of your hardest season. Circumstances change daily; the cross doesn't. > Don't measure God's love by your circumstances. Measure your circumstances by God's love — and He settled that at the cross. ## Seven ways to grow in trust 1. **Tell Him the truth.** "Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him" (Psalm 62:8). Trust starts with honesty, not polish. 2. **Pray the honest prayer.** A desperate father said to Jesus, "I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24) — and Jesus helped him. You can pray it too. 3. **Get to know His character in Scripture.** Read the Psalms and the Gospels and notice what God is like (start with [How To Start Reading The Bible](https://www.iamreborn.net/blog/how-to-start-reading-the-bible)). 4. **Remember what He's already done.** Write down past answers to prayer. Israel built memorial stones for a reason (Joshua 4). 5. **Hand over one specific worry.** Name it, give it to Him in prayer, and when it comes back, give it again (Philippians 4:6–7). 6. **Obey in the next small step.** Trust grows by acting on what God has already made clear, even before you see the whole path. 7. **Borrow others' faith.** Let people who have walked through fire remind you that God was faithful to them (Hebrews 12:1). > You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. > > — Isaiah 26:3 ## When you're afraid to trust David didn't say, "I'm never afraid." He said, "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you" (Psalm 56:3). Fear and trust can exist in the same moment. Trust isn't the absence of fear — it's what you do with it. If fear is loud right now, read [What Does The Bible Say About Fear?](https://www.iamreborn.net/blog/what-does-the-bible-say-about-fear) next. And if you're facing something heavy — grief, illness, depression — trusting God doesn't mean facing it alone or refusing help. God often works through doctors, counsellors, pastors and friends. If you're in crisis, call or text 9-8-8 (Canada and the U.S.), or 911 in an emergency. **Trusting God, in short** - **Trust is a decision** to rest your weight on God's character, not a feeling (Proverbs 3:5–6). - **It grows as you know Him** (Psalm 9:10). - **The cross proves He's for you** (Romans 8:32). - **Be honest:** "I believe; help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24). - **Fear and trust can coexist** — "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you" (Psalm 56:3). [Find a verse for what you're feeling](https://www.iamreborn.net/when-you-feel) — Scripture and next steps for anxiety, fear, grief, doubt and more. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I trust God when I'm scared? Fear and trust can exist together. David prayed, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Psalm 56:3). Tell God honestly what you fear, then choose to lean on His character rather than the outcome you can see. ### What does the Bible say about trusting God? Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5–6); those who know His name put their trust in Him (Psalm 9:10); He keeps in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on Him (Isaiah 26:3). ### Why is it so hard to trust God? We want control, we've been let down by people, we mistake God's timing for absence, we judge His love by our circumstances, and we often don't spend enough time getting to know Him. ### Does trusting God mean I shouldn't get help? No. God often works through doctors, counsellors, pastors and friends. Trusting Him and seeking help go together. In a crisis, call or text 9-8-8 in Canada and the U.S., or 911 in an emergency. --- From the Reborn Journal at I AM REBORN — https://www.iamreborn.net/blog/how-to-trust-god