Learning to Trust God’s Plan (Even When Nothing Makes Sense)

I remember sitting on my porch some mornings, crying and praying as hard as I could.

We’d given up a life we loved for our family. I had ideas for what came next, but nothing was working. So I begged God to show me which path to take. I wanted it all to work out, and I wanted it to work out now.

If you’re in a season like that, where something fell apart, or you don’t know what to do next, or you’re wondering if God is even listening, I want you to know I’ve been there. And I want to share what I learned while I was waiting.

The Verse I Hold Onto

My favorite verse is Romans 8:28:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

I love that it says all things. Not just the good things. Not just the things that make sense. The disappointments. The detours. The doors that close. The seasons that break your heart.

It doesn’t promise that everything will feel good. It promises that God is working in all of it, even when we can’t see how.

A Better Story Than I Could See

I’ve lived that verse.

Years ago, my husband and I walked away from a life we’d worked hard to build so our boys could grow up close to family. Not because it was bad, but because staying would have cost too much. For a long time, it felt like loss. I grieved the business, the house, and the version of me who lived there.

But God was writing a better story than the one I was holding onto.

That move led me back to church. Back to my faith. To mornings that begin in quiet instead of hurry. To a family with time for each other. To a peace I never found when I was trying to control everything myself.

I couldn’t see any of it from that porch. But every piece was already being put in place.

He Wasn’t Saying No. He Was Saying Wait.

When I think back to those mornings on the porch, I can see what God was telling me. He wasn’t saying no. He was saying wait.

He was still working on my heart. He knew I wasn’t ready yet. And the things I was begging Him for weren’t the things He had planned. What He had planned was better.

Waiting is one of the hardest parts of faith. But a closed door isn’t always a no. Sometimes it’s a not yet.

Trust Isn’t Certainty

For years, I thought I needed every answer before I could fully commit to God. I had questions I couldn’t resolve, so I kept standing at the edge.

What I finally understood is this: God doesn’t need you to have it all figured out before He can have your heart. As I wrote in my book, Living Well, Pure and Simple:

“What He wants isn’t my theological certainty. It’s my trust.”

If you’re questioning right now, that’s okay. Doubt doesn’t disqualify you. You can bring your questions to God. You don’t have to settle them first.

How to Trust When You Can’t See the Plan

Trust isn’t something you feel all at once. It’s something you practice, one day at a time. Here’s what helped me.

Pray honestly. You don’t need the right words. “I don’t understand, but I’m choosing to trust You” is a real prayer. So is “Help me.”

Look back. Think of a time something fell apart and later turned out for good. If He was working then, He’s working now.

Take the next small step. You don’t need to see the whole staircase. Just the next step in front of you.

Let go a little at a time. I’d always gone to God in a crisis. Learning to trust Him with everything, not just the emergencies, is where my real peace began.

Hold onto a promise. When fear gets loud, read a verse out loud. Mine is Romans 8:28.

Looking back now, I can see that every hard season, every closed door, and every long wait was leading me exactly where I needed to be. It was His plan all along.

One Simple Step

Write Romans 8:28 on a card and put it somewhere you’ll see it every morning. Your bathroom mirror. Your coffee maker. Your car.

Each time you read it, name one thing you’re trusting God with today. Just one. Then let Him hold it.

Wherever you are right now, in the waiting, the questioning, or the not knowing, please hear this: your story isn’t finished yet. God is still writing it. And I promise you, He writes beautiful endings.