11 Feb W2 | Trusting God in the Process
REFERENCE BIBLE VERSES
Proverbs 3:5-6 | “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
OBJECTIVE
To understand that excellence is a journey, not just a destination; and this journey often involves challenges, delays, and uncertainties, so we need to trust God.
CONTENT
TRUSTING GOD IN THE JOURNEY OF EXCELLENCE
- All of us face challenges on a daily basis since we were young, and unknowingly, solving these challenges has spurred us towards excellence. Though sometimes we perceive excellence as a goal, it is indeed also a journey towards Christlikeness. These journeys undoubtedly involve trials and obstacles that can sometimes make us question whether we are on the right path or if God is truly working in our situation. Other times, these challenges would cause delays and uncertainties, making us doubtful and anxious, and ultimately putting us down. The devil loves to use these opportunities to interrupt our faith and place lingering doubts within us, potentially hindering us from achieving our maximum potential in life.
- However, as His children and a believer, we have the privilege to lean on Him and surrender our plans, desires, and ambitions to Him, knowing His ways are higher than ours. This means we have hope not in a certain outcome or timing, but we have our hope in Jesus, who will carry His good plan till the end. Leaning on His understanding means recognizing that our own reasoning is limited and flawed and that God's wisdom is superior. This means not looking at our current circumstances and challenges as something that’s final or destined for us. Surrendering also requires us to relinquish the need to have all the answers and instead place our faith in His sovereignty, believing that He is orchestrating every detail of our life for our ultimate good.
- One of the best examples of excellence in the Bible is Noah. At the time He was asked by God to create a boat, no rain had ever manifested itself on Earth. Despite the external challenges of being ridiculed, Noah didn’t lean on his own understanding and instead obeyed and trusted God wholeheartedly.
THE REWARD OF TRUSTING GOD
- When we choose to place our full trust in God, we open ourselves to experiencing the depth of His wisdom, guidance, and provision in ways we could never achieve on our own. Trusting God in the process is not merely about enduring difficulties but about actively believing that He is working all things together for our good, even when we cannot yet see the full picture (Romans 8:28). As humans, we are anxious for immediate results and clear answers, but God often works through a process by challenging our faith, refining us and teaching us to depend on Him. Like Noah, as we surrender our control and allow Him to direct our steps, we can then begin to see how His plans unfold in ways that are far greater than we could have imagined.
- Cultivating a habit of trusting God in every season, whether in sickness or health, rich or poor, we develop a deep sense of peace that is not dependent on our circumstances. Philippians 4:7 speaks of the “peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,” a peace that guards our hearts and minds when we trust in Him. This peace allows us to navigate uncertainty with unwavering faith, knowing that God is in control and that He is faithful to provide what we need at the right time. This peace and security will not be possible if God does not allow us to go through difficult challenges. Ultimately, with each challenge we overcome together with God, our confidence/faith in Him grows. Instead of seeing obstacles as roadblocks, we start to recognize them as opportunities for preparation and growth towards excellence. Every delay, hardship, or moment of waiting becomes a chance to strengthen our spiritual endurance, refine our character, and align our desires with God’s perfect will.
- When we fully embrace the truth that God’s plans are higher and better than our own, we can trust and surrender to Him, knowing that He is guiding us toward something far greater than we could ever achieve by ourselves.
REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- In what areas of your life do you find it most difficult to surrender control to God? What steps can you take to fully trust Him?
- How can we encourage one another to remain faithful and trust God's plan, even when circumstances seem discouraging? What are some promises in the Scripture that remind us of God’s faithfulness?
REFERENCES