5 Ways to Be Still and Trust God

Aaron D'Anthony Brown Contributing Author
Updated Aug 25, 2023

Sometimes in life, things happen that leave us feeling dismayed, fearful, and overwhelmed. Worse than that, some of these same situations we encounter are out of our control. Calamity happens before our very eyes, and despite how much we protest, all we can do is watch. All we can do is experience. All we can do is respond. This happens when we lose a relationship, a job, or a loved one, through no fault of our own. Things happen that we don’t understand, and we’re left to pick up the pieces.

When things happen that are out of your control, where do you turn?

I was blindsided recently when a conflict with a dear friend of mine led to the end of the relationship. Despite my desire to resolve the conflict, he wasn’t interested. I was shocked when the misunderstanding first occurred and even more shocked when he decided that instead of communicating, he was done.

That’s far from the first time in my life when I encountered something out of my control, but I was reminded of something important. Something people have reminded me of throughout the years and something I want to share with you today.

Be still, and know that He is God.

Chances are, you can pull from many examples in your own life where things happened that were both unfortunate and uncontrollable. Where we turn when these situations arise says a lot about our character. We learn more about our faith, where we are strong, and where we are weak. If we play our cards right, the bad experiences can be an opportunity to build greater trust in God.

That’s what I decided to do this week when I had to let go of my friend. In the past, I would have cried and questioned God all night long. I would have lamented the friend, along with other people in the past who left for one reason or another. Deep down, I would have doubted God and blamed Him for all these bad occurrences.

After all, if He loved me, how could He let those things happen?

This time, however, I decided to be still. I decided to trust. God is good even when my situation is not. There’s still plenty in life to appreciate, even amidst all the bad stuff.

That’s what I want you to see in your own life today. There’s good waiting for you just around the bend, even if you can’t see it yet. And there’s good that will come out of the bad, even if you don’t believe it yet.

Sometimes we just have to be still and know that He is God. If you’re looking for practical ways to do that, here are some lessons I have learned.

1. Stop Striving

One of my flaws is a desire for too much control. As a planner, there’s a certain way I like to do things, whether I’m leading a project or playing support. I have to practice humility and remember that my way is not always the best way or even the right way. That’s especially true when needing to trust God. Too often have I questioned why He allowed something to happen and what good could come out of a situation only to later down the road experience the goodness.

How much evidence do I need to trust?

Sometimes, despite our desire to handle a situation, sometimes God just wants us to rely on Him. In that act of trust, we develop our faith.

2. Pray

Naturally, when bad things happen, we think about them. We question whether situations could have occurred differently, whether bad situations can be undone, and we wonder what to do next for ourselves. Thinking isn’t bad, but we would be wise not to dwell on the negativity. Instead, where we ought to dwell is in prayer, talking to God about our angst. He cares and wants to hear. Not only that, but prayer helps mold us into the image of Christ. We invite God to speak to us and change our hearts.

3. Rest

As you pray and as you stop striving, you should aim for rest. Losing a friendship, a marriage, a loved one, all of that carries weight. The more you care, the greater the pain. You can’t get rid of the pain even if you desire such. Nor can you undo the situation. What you can manage for yourself is resting. Take time to do something fun and relaxing. Don’t think about the sad stuff, but set your mind on something distracting and positive. That includes physical exercise, reading, and other recreational activities.

4. Remember

There's no way to be still and trust God if you have no reason to do so. While you could and should remind yourself of the good things He has done in your life, you should also be mindful of what Scripture says. The issue we face is that when bad things happen, sometimes we forget the good. The solution, then, is to know Scripture because that’s a truth we cannot dispute. The word says that He is good with good plans. We can believe in that.

5. Keep Trying

If you’re not used to being still, don’t be surprised when you struggle to do just that. What’s instead important is to keep trying. When you fail once, try again. After the second time, you try again. God is after our hearts, not perfection.

And thankfully, practice makes perfect.

Conclusion

Today I do a decent job of being still and recognizing God’s goodness, but that has not always been true. I used to question His provision, His protection, and whether He actually had good plans for me. Thankfully, today, I find myself feeling much more secure.

If that’s not where you are, then keep trying. Faith is deepened over time after experiencing life. The good and the bad. What’s important is that you maintain a mindset of wanting to grow. No matter what. God wants to develop you as a person. Let him into every area, and trust Him with everything. No matter how much you doubt, He won’t let you down.

I used to doubt. I used to ask questions. A lot. Still do. But I’ve come to realize just how God He is. I pray that you will too.

Aaron D'Anthony Brown is a freelance writer, hip-hop dance teacher, and visual artist, living in Virginia. He currently contributes to Salem Web Network’s Crosswalk platform and supports various clients through the freelancing website Upwork. He's an outside-the-box thinker with a penchant for challenging the status quo.