How to Trust God When Everything Is Going Wrong

Lately, I have been getting many phone calls, texts, and emails about traumatic events from many of you — from multiple miscarriages to an accident that ended in death, to thoughts of giving up and suicide, to feeling lost, to bad reports from the doctors. Those calls and texts can get exhausting, especially when I want to fix the problem, but I can't override a person's will or change their mindset. I can help through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and I know God is ready to heal, deliver, and set you free. However, you must develop TRUST in the midst of the storm.

Remember when the storm came in Mark 4:35–41, the disciples panicked because of what they saw and felt — the deadly waves and their own fear — but Jesus still expected them to rise above their emotions and act in faith. In verse 40, He asked, "Why are you so timid and fearful? How is it that you have no faith, no firmly relying trust?".

If you've been in the middle of a storm – or someone else's crisis — you know how quickly fear, helplessness, and the urge to "do something" or "the thought of giving up" can take over. For many who are working, building businesses, shepherding families, and caring for others, the pressure often feels relentless. Trusting God in the middle of the mess can feel like a noble sentiment, but how do we actually live it out when the storm won't stop?

Trusting God is not passive. It's a deliberate, daily practice. It is a choice, not a feeling. To overcome decades of emotional and mental strongholds, you must choose to trust God, without your emotions agreeing or your mind believing the Word. You must RISE in FAITH!!!

Here's how to maintain that practice even when everything seems to be falling apart.

1. Remember Who's You Are & Who You Are

When everything feels like it's falling apart, it's tempting to fix it ourselves. But the One who weeps with us and who created the cosmos is still holding us in His hand. Mark 4 shows Jesus asleep in the boat while a storm rages — and with authority, He calms the wind and the waves. That story reminds us: even when it looks like God is silent, He is present and able.

Being still doesn't mean doing nothing. It means choosing to stop the frantic repairs long enough to recognize who's you are. Practically, that may look like pausing before responding to a panicked message, closing your laptop for a short time of prayer, or saying, "Holy Spirit, I don't know how — will You lead?" These short, intentional pauses let God's perspective replace our panic.

2. Talk to God Like a Real Friend

Prayer doesn't need polish. God welcomes our honest, messy conversation, not our whining. Tell Him what you're feeling: anger, grief, fear, exhaustion. Saying the Truth out loud releases the burden of pretending you have it all together and begins the work of surrender. Transparent prayer is the doorway into trusting God with outcomes you can't control. After you pour your heart out to the Father, I encourage you to start confessing or praying out loud the scriptures concerning your situation. Jesus never responded to the Father based on His emotions or the circumstances, but He always quoted the scriptures. In Matthew 4, when the devil tempted Jesus, He responded, "It is written…" What's your response? The Word or the problem?

3. Look for the Word

When tragedy or overwhelm arrives, ask not, "Where is God?" or "Why does He allow this to happen?" but "What's the Word say about this situation?" or "No matter how it looks or feels in the natural, God is right here with me. Therefore, all things will work together for my good."

The Word of God is ALIVE, ACTIVE & POWERFUL. 1 Thessalonians 2:13b AMPC says "…the Word of God, which is effectually at work in you who BELIEVE (exercising its SUPERHUMAN power in those who adhere to and trust in and rely on it.)

God's promises are true, but only those who activate their faith, not their feelings, will see the full results.

4. Anchor Your Mind in God's Word, Not the What-Ifs

Your mind will race: "What if this never gets better?" "What if I can't help them?" "What if the Word will not come through?" "What if I lose everything?" "What if I die in the process?" Isaiah 26:3 says God keeps in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in Him. Peace is not the absence of pain — it's the presence of God's Truth. When fear arises, pause and read a verse or two that reminds you of God's presence and faithfulness. Let that Truth interrupt the spiral.

Your mind is the battlefield! But you are the commander of your mind. When those negative thoughts bombard your mind, stop and recite the scriptures aloud. Silence will defeat you, but words spoken from the scriptures will set you up to conquer and overcome all those "What ifs."

5. Stay Connected — Don't Isolate

Crisis multiplies when we carry it alone. Community reduces the burden and provides perspective, prayer, and practical help. Reach for sisters who will listen, pray, and stand with you. Be careful that you don't run to those who will enter into a pity party with you. Those friends can add to the storm. You must choose friends who will speak the Truth, even if it is painful to hear and stand with you on the Word. In storms, we're not meant to be solitary sailors — we're members of Christ's body who belong to one another.

6. Reframe What "Good" Means

If we only feel God is good when life is comfortable, our faith will collapse in storms. Anchor your trust in who God is, not in temporary circumstances. Romans 8:28 reminds us that God can work even the worst things for His purposes in the lives of those who love Him. That doesn't minimize suffering; it points to God's power to redeem it. God is GOOD ALL THE TIME. He never brings temptation or destruction. John 10:10 & James 1:13-17 are clear about that. Please read it for yourself.

7. Take Small, Faithful Steps

James 1:22 AMPC quotes: But be doers of the Word (obey the message), and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves (into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth.)

Trust is active. It shows up as small, obedient steps: making a needed phone call, worshipping even if you don't have a Worship Leader with you, reading the Word even if you don't feel like it or have only a couple minutes, setting a payment plan, asking for help, seeing a therapist, scheduling rest, or praying for someone who's hurting. These tiny acts of faith build momentum and shift us from survival mode to Spirit-led action.

A Short Prayer for When You're Overwhelmed

Father, the pain and loss I see, feel, and hear about weigh heavily on my soul. I confess I want to fix what only You can heal. Give me wisdom for the next right step, strengthen me to pray and read Your Word, give me a receptive heart to receive Your Word, and bring faithful people to walk with me. Through Your peace, calm the storm inside me and help me trust You even when I don't understand. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Reflection Questions (Journal)

1. When a crisis comes, what's your first reaction — fix it, freeze, or flee? How might a brief pause to pray change that response?

2. Where are you trying to control outcomes that God is asking you to release?

3. What is one "word" God gave you today — a small mercy or strength you can thank Him for?

4. Do you need professional help? Who can you reach out to?

Trusting God when everything is going wrong doesn't mean you won't feel overwhelmed, angry, or exhausted; it simply means you're trusting God. It means you choose — again and again — to fix your eyes on the One who holds the storm in His hands. When you can't hold on any longer, He hasn't let go.

Love you and praying for you,

Stella