Why Should I Trust God?

Choosing to Trust God

Scripture References

Primary text

• Psalm 20:7
• Mark 9

Other references

• Psalm 13
• Proverbs 3:5
• Romans 8:28

Overview

Life often feels like an unending fight—against bills, addictions, doubt, discouragement, and fear. King David knew that tension: in one psalm he questioned God, in another he declared unshakable trust. Using David’s words and the story of a desperate father in Mark 9, Pastor Craig and Pastor Sam showed how anyone can move from “I’m not sure I can trust God” to “With all my heart I know I do.” The path is simple but never easy: Question, Pray, Surrender.

Main Points

The Everyday Battle

• We cycle through battles: coming out of one, in one, or heading toward the next.
• Common fights: finances, addiction, parenting, marriage, mental health.
• Feeling worn down is normal; David’s battle language in the psalms validates it.

David’s Example: Doubt and Declaration

• Psalm 13 records David’s raw questions: “How long, Lord? … Will you forget me forever?”
• Later, before battle, David proclaims confident faith:

  “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

• Faith after doubt, not faith without doubt, inspires us.

Question God

• God welcomes honest questions; questioning keeps us close to Him.
• The father in Mark 9 asks Jesus, “But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
• Run to God with questions instead of away from Him with doubts.

Pray Honestly

• Jesus answers the father’s question, stressing belief.
• The father prays:

  “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief.”

• Honest prayer opens the door for God to act and to build faith.

Surrender in Trust (Betach)

• Proverbs 3:5 calls for trust that leans not on limited human understanding.
• Hebrew betach = stretched-out, face-down surrender, waiting for the Master’s command.
• Trusting God doesn’t guarantee we get what we want or escape hardship; it rests in His character and purpose.
• Romans 8:28 anchors the promise that God works all things for good.

A Personal Story of Anxiety and Loss

• Story: Pastor Sam’s “summer of anxiety” began after the sudden death of fellow pastor and close friend Danny Durán (age, ethnicity, family stage similar to Sam’s). Chest tightness and fear surfaced, tied to the question, “What happens to my wife and kids if I’m gone?”
• Medical tests were clear, counseling ongoing, but anxiety remained.
• He chose to trust: God loves his family more than he does and is their true provider and protector.
• “What you fear the most is usually where you trust God the least.”

The Word Lights the Path

• Psalmist: God’s word is “a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”
• In darkness, specific scriptures speak to anxiety (Job breath verse), depression (Isaiah rivers verse), weariness (Isaiah waiting verse), hopelessness (Jeremiah plans verse), and sorrow (Psalm joy after night).
• Trust grows one step, one promise at a time.

Step into the Light — Salvation Invitation

• Illustration: Darkness of sin vs. light of Christ.
• Our greatest act of trust is surrendering our salvation to Jesus, who lived sinlessly, died for sin, and rose again.
• Many responded, raising hands or typing “That’s me” to declare faith in Christ.

Key Truths

• Honest questions are not a threat to God; they are a pathway to deeper trust.
• Prayer that admits partial belief—“help my unbelief”—still moves God’s heart.
• True trust (betach) is active, face-down surrender awaiting God’s direction.
• Where fear is loudest often marks the place we trust God least.
• Scripture provides step-by-step light; we rarely receive the whole map at once.

Response

• Bring your hardest “why?” to God instead of hiding it.
• Pray candidly, naming both faith and doubt.
• Surrender control daily, lying “face-down” figuratively and waiting for God’s next instruction.
• Memorize one promise that speaks directly to your current battle and speak it when anxiety rises.
• Share your story of questioning, praying, and surrendering to encourage someone else in a fight.

Closing

Battles will keep coming, but we are not alone on the field. Like David, we can move from questions to confidence; like the desperate dad, we can pray for help in unbelief; like Pastor Sam, we can choose trust even with racing hearts and unanswered whys. The decision stands before us every day:

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”
Choose to trust Him—questioning, praying, and surrendering—one illuminated step at a time.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I give You my life. I surrender to You.
Forgive me of my sins and make me new.
Fill me with Your Spirit so I can follow You and serve You every day of my life.
Today I choose to step into the light. Thank You for forgiveness and thank You for Your grace.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.