Trusting God Behind the Scenes

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Hebrews 10:23 – Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise.

Do you ever have those days?

The ones where you know God is a way maker.

You know He’s good.

You know He loves you.

But…

It just doesn’t feel like He’s making a way.

You’ve been praying.

You’ve been trusting.

You’ve been trying to faithfully follow Him.

And yet, nothing seems to be changing.

Maybe today is one of those days.

If it is, I want you to remember something.

It’s okay.

You’re not the first person to wonder where God is in the middle of a hard season.

I’ve had those moments too.

The ones where I want to look up and ask, “God, where are You? Why am I struggling?”

But here’s what I’m learning.

Sometimes God’s greatest work is happening where I can’t yet see it.

Even when it feels like nothing is changing, God is still working.

Hebrews reminds us to “hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise.”

Notice, our hope isn’t rooted in what we can see.

It’s rooted in the God who always keeps His word.

Our feelings may waver.

Our circumstances may change.

But God’s faithfulness never does.

So if your prayers feel like they’re hitting the ceiling today…

Keep holding on.

And if all you have is faith the size of a mustard seed, that’s enough to take one more step toward Jesus.

Don’t let what you see determine what you believe.

Let God’s faithfulness have the final word.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What promise of God do you need to hold tightly to in this season?
  • Are your circumstances shaping your hope more than God’s character is?
  • What would it look like to take one more step of faith today, even if you can’t yet see the outcome?
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Peace In Your Piled-Up Day

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Psalm 55:22 — Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved.

Oh, you know those days where you’re functioning…but barely?

Maybe that’s today for you.

You’re showing up. You’re answering the messages. You’re doing what needs to be done. But inside, you feel heavier than anyone knows.

The truth is, some burdens don’t announce themselves.

They accumulate quietly…stress, pressure, responsibility, worry, disappointment.

Little by little, the weight builds until one day you’re carrying more than you were ever meant to.

If that’s where you are today, I want you to hear this clearly:

God never asked you to carry it all by yourself.

Scripture invites us to cast our burdens on the Lord. Why? Because He’s the One strong enough to carry what we can’t.

And notice the promise. God doesn’t say every burden will disappear overnight.

He says, “I will sustain you.”

That’s a different kind of promise.

It means strength for today. Grace for the next step. Peace that steadies you even before your circumstances change.

You may not have the words for everything you’re feeling, but you don’t need perfect words to come to God.

He already knows.

Bring Him your prayers, your tears, your questions…even your silence.

Nothing you place in His hands is too heavy for Him.

So before you move on to the next task today, pause for just a moment.

Hand Him one thing you’ve been carrying.

Take a deep breath.

You’re not failing because you feel the weight.

You’re human.

And God is still holding you.

When you release what was never yours to carry alone, you make room to experience the peace only He can give.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What burden have you been carrying that God is inviting you to place in His hands today?
  • How does God’s promise to sustain you encourage you, even if your circumstances haven’t changed yet?
  • What is one practical way you can pause today and intentionally give your worries to the Lord?
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Heart Change Happens Here

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John 3:3 — Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

It’s funny when I think about that conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus.

Nicodemus asked Jesus, “So how does someone get born again? Can a grown man really enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time?”

What a question.

But the more I think about it, the more I realize Nicodemus was looking in the wrong direction. He was thinking about starting life over on the outside, while Jesus was talking about something much deeper.

Following Jesus isn’t about getting a fresh start from the outside in.

It’s about receiving a brand-new heart from the inside out.

Listen, it doesn’t have to be all bells and whistles or some dramatic testimony.

You don’t have to wait until you’ve cleaned yourself up. You don’t have to become “good enough” before you come to Jesus.

Bring Him the mistakes. Bring Him the shame. Bring Him the sin you wish you could undo. Bring Him the questions you still don’t have answers for.

Jesus doesn’t tell you to fix yourself first.

He simply invites you to come.

Grace meets you exactly where you are, but it loves you too much to leave you there.

He forgives you, changes you, and gives you strength you never had on your own. He begins healing what sin has broken and shaping you into the person He created you to be.

That’s what being born again really means. It’s not becoming a better version of the old you.

It’s allowing God to make you into someone new.

So, if you’ve been waiting until you have it all together, stop waiting.

Bring the mess. Bring the shame. Bring the questions. Bring your heart.

Surrender it all to Jesus, trust Him with it, and let Him begin the work that only He can do.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Is there anything you’ve been trying to fix before bringing it to Jesus?
  • What does it mean to you that Jesus changes us from the inside out rather than simply helping us improve ourselves?
  • What is one area of your life where you need to trust God to make you new instead of relying on your own strength?
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Mountain, Meet Your Maker

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Matthew 17:20 — He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

It’s easy to say you’ve got faith…until you face a mountain.

But we’ve got a bigger God. Can I get an amen?

I came across this devotional I want to share with you. It’s from In Touch Ministries, and it is so good. It says…

“Are you facing what seems like an insurmountable obstacle? It might be a problem too complex to solve, a task beyond your ability, a sin too tempting to overcome, or a situation over which you have no control.

Facing such things can make us feel weak, helpless and vulnerable, but always remember that we have an almighty God, and nothing is too difficult for Him.

There’s a story in the Bible, where a Jewish leader with 50,000 of his men returned to Jerusalem from being in captivity, and they were going to rebuild their temple. But the obstacles that they were facing were just too much, and Yet even with thousands of people, the obstacles seemed overwhelming.

Well, God gave His prophet Zechariah a vision so that he could go and encourage these men. The message that the Prophet gave was…”Remember, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord.

So, the same truth applies to you today. Maybe you’re staring at a mountain that feels impossible to move—a diagnosis, a broken relationship, a financial burden, or a struggle you’ve carried for years.

In your own strength, it may be too much. But Jesus never said mountains move because we are strong. He said they move because our faith is placed in a strong God.

Faith isn’t pretending the obstacle isn’t there. It’s choosing to trust God in the middle of it.

Sometimes God moves the mountain. Sometimes He leads you over it. Sometimes He walks with you through it.

But either way, you’re not facing it alone.

The same Spirit who empowered God’s people then is with you now, giving you strength, wisdom, peace, and courage for whatever stands in front of you today.

So don’t focus on the size of the mountain. Focus on the greatness of your God.

Even faith as small as a mustard seed becomes powerful when it’s placed in the hands of an almighty God.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What mountain are you facing right now that feels bigger than your faith?
  • Where might God be inviting you to trust Him instead of relying on your own strength?
  • How does remembering God’s power change the way you view your current challenge?
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Daughter, I See You

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Ephesians 3:18-19 — And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Here’s a message from the Father’s heart to that busy girl.

“She thinks I don’t see her. The busy one, the strong one, and the one who smiles at meetings, answers every email, but cries in the car with the music turned up. She thinks her loneliness is invisible, but it echoes in my heart.

I saw her that morning she couldn’t get out of bed. I was with her that night when she wondered if anyone would notice if she disappeared, and I heard her when she finally whispered, ‘God, do you see me?’

Yes, daughter, I see you.  

I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. You are not just noticed. You are known, cherished, held, and loved even in silence.

Even in loneliness, I am near. I am not just God of the whole world. I am the God who sees you. Even when your strength runs out where no one else can see, my love does not shrink back. It stretches wider, longer, deeper, and higher than your thoughts can reach. You are not unseen. You are fully known and fully loved right here, in this moment.

So, when you feel hidden in your exhaustion or alone in the quiet, remember this: I am closer than you think, and My love has never left you.

My prayer for you this Father’s Day is that you would truly experience what Paul prayed for in Ephesians—that you would have the power to understand how wide, how long, how high, and how deep Christ’s love really is.

Not just know it in your head.

Experience it in your heart.

Because God’s love was never meant to be merely understood.

It was meant to be received.

Because when you begin to grasp even a small part of God’s love for you, everything changes.

May you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Have there been moments when you felt unseen or overlooked by others?
  • Which part of God’s love—its width, length, height, or depth—do you most need to experience right now?
  • What keeps you from fully believing that God sees and loves you?
  • How does knowing you are fully known by God change the way you view yourself?
  • What is one way you can intentionally rest in God’s love this week?
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Forgiveness Finds A Way

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Matthew 18:21-22 — Then Peter came to Him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!”

Have you been carrying around bitterness and anger because of a falling out with someone… maybe someone in your own family?

Maybe you will relate to Michael’s story.

He hadn’t spoken to his dad for a very, very long time. A painful falling out drew a line neither of them crossed for nearly a decade. I mean, they missed holidays, birthdays, milestones—all of it. And the silence… it became normal. But even when silence feels normal, the hurt never really leaves.

One Sunday, after hearing a sermon on forgiveness, Michael sat in his car a little longer than usual. The engine was off, but his thoughts weren’t. And he prayed, “God, I don’t know how to forgive my dad. I don’t know how to do it, but I know You’ll help me. I’ll try with Your strength.”

It wasn’t polished. It wasn’t confident. But it was a step.

And then—his dad called.

There was no warning. No buildup. Just, “I don’t know why, but I felt like I had to call.”

So, they met for coffee. And what began as a tense conversation, started to shift. The edges softened. Voices cracked. Tears came. Apologies followed. Hugs were shared, and forgiveness was given. And slowly, they began rebuilding what had been broken, one small step at a time.

Michael says, “Only God could have softened these two hardened hearts and turned years of silence into a fresh start.”

And I believe him.

Because somewhere in that moment, one willing heart made room for more than just a single act of forgiveness.

When one heart turns toward God, He can begin healing wounds that once felt impossible to touch.

So, I wonder… is there someone in your life who has hurt you? Maybe more than once.

It would be easy to let bitterness settle in and let silence become your normal. But Jesus invites us to a different way.

Seven times seventy, right?

Not because the hurt wasn’t real. Not because trust is automatically restored. But because forgiveness frees your heart from carrying what God never intended you to carry alone.

Maybe today isn’t about having all the right words.

Maybe it’s simply praying the same prayer Michael prayed:

“Lord, I don’t know how to forgive, but with Your help, I’m willing to take the first step.”

And sometimes that’s where healing begins.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Is there someone you have struggled to forgive?
  • What emotions surface when you think about extending forgiveness to that person?
  • How does Michael’s simple prayer challenge or encourage you?
  • What is the difference between forgiving someone and pretending they didn’t hurt you?
  • What would taking one small step toward forgiveness look like for you today?

CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO on YouTube

SEVEN TIMES SEVENTY TIMES by Chris August

I’ve been living in this house here
Since the day that I was born
These walls have seen me happy
But most of all they’ve seen me torn
They’ve heard the screaming matches
That made a family fall apart
They’ve had a front row seat
To the breaking of my heart

7 times, 70 times
I’ll do what it takes to make it right
I thought the pain was here to stay
But forgiveness made a way
7 times, 70 times
There’s healing in the air tonight
I’m reaching up to pull it down
Gonna wrap it all around

I remember running down the hallway
Playing hide-and-seek
I didn’t know that I was searching
For someone to notice me
I felt alone and undiscovered
And old enough to understand
Just when I’m s’posed to be learning to love you
Let me doubt again

7 times, 70 times
I’ll do what it takes to make it right
I thought the pain was here to stay
But forgiveness made a way
7 times, 70 times
There’s healing in the air tonight
I’m reaching up to pull it down
Gonna wrap it all around

I lost count of the ways You let me down
But no matter how many times You weren’t around
I’m all right now

God picked up my heart and helped me through
And shined a light on the one thing left to do
And that’s forgive you, I forgive you

7 times, 70 times
If that’s the cost I’ll pay the price
7 times, 70 times
I’ll do what it takes to make it right
I thought the pain was here to stay
But forgiveness made a way

7 times, 70 times
There’s healing in this house tonight
I’m reaching up to pull it down
Gonna wrap it all around
Yeah, I’m gonna wrap it all around

I’ve been living in this house here
Since the day that I was born

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Not Too Late Now

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Ecclesiastes 3:11 – Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

Addiction is never easy. It’s not easy for the person struggling. It’s not easy for the family. It’s not easy for the friends who love them.

It’s painful for everyone.

But God.

Here’s a story about a father overcoming addiction. It’s set on the day of his son’s birthday.

“I almost didn’t send the card.

It felt too small. After everything I’d missed—his birthdays, his games, so much of his life—what could one little birthday card possibly do?

’90 days sober.’

That’s what I wrote inside.

‘And happy birthday. I’m proud of you, son.’

Because I am. I am proud of him.

Even if I haven’t been there like I should have. Even if I don’t know whether he’ll believe a word I say.

But recovery has taught me something. It’s never too late to tell the truth. It’s never too late to take a step toward healing. And it’s never too late for grace.

Even when addiction and regret have created distance, God’s grace still makes room for new beginnings.

So I prayed over that envelope.

I asked God to do what I can’t.

I asked Him to bridge the distance between my son’s heart and mine. To take what feels broken and unfinished and begin making something beautiful from it.

I don’t know if he’ll write back.

I don’t even know if he’ll open it.

But I sent it because healing has to start somewhere.”

I love that.

Because sometimes healing starts smaller than we’d like.

It’s one honest conversation. One apology. One phone call. One card dropped in the mail.

One faithful step.

And often, we can’t see what God is doing with those small acts of obedience. We can’t see the whole story from beginning to end.

But He can.

That’s why we keep trusting Him with the pieces.

Maybe today you’re carrying something that feels broken, distant, or beyond repair.

Take the next faithful step.

Offer the apology. Send the message. Have the conversation.

And trust God with what happens next.

Because He has a way of making beautiful things from places that once seemed hopeless.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Is there a relationship in your life that needs a first step toward healing?
  • What small act of obedience might God be asking you to take today?
  • Where have you been tempted to give up because you can’t see the outcome?
  • How does it encourage you to know that God sees the whole story, even when you can only see a small part of it?
  • What would it look like to trust God with the next step instead of the entire journey?
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Lifted Up With Love

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Psalm 40:2 — He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

Three teenagers were riding bikes when they heard faint cries coming from a storm drain below them. Most people would have just kept on going, but not these guys. They stopped, they listened closer, and they discovered a scared little puppy trapped below.

My heart would have been breaking watching that.

Well, these teen boys worked together using their hands, a stick, and a lot of patience to get that little pup to safety. And when they finally pulled him out, the animal just looked at their faces in pure joy.

That moment when fear turns into relief… even the smallest things feel beautiful.

And I can’t shake what that picture does in me. We don’t get rescued because we’re strong. We get rescued because Someone stronger stops, hears, and reaches down.That’s what Psalm 40 is describing—God drawing us up, not leaving us where we fell.

SAnd maybe you’ve felt that too—stuck in a place you didn’t plan for, wondering if anyone even sees you there.… stuck in life’s storm drains, buried under the weight of stress and anxiety and everything closing in. It’s the kind of place where it’s dark, where it feels like nobody notices, and where your voice sounds small even to yourself.

But what gets me most is this. Those boys didn’t just hear something and move on. They leaned in. They got low. They stayed, and little by little, they pulled that puppy up out of the muddy pit into something solid again.

Even when we feel trapped or overlooked in life’s darkest places, God sees, hears, and gently rescues us with compassion and faithful care.

That’s who He is. He doesn’t pass by. He hears what others miss, and He steps into the miry mess with a patience that doesn’t give up.

And I don’t know what you’re sitting in right now, but maybe there’s something here for you too… a quiet reminder that you are seen, heard, and not forgotten in the pit—and that God still knows how to bring people out of places they can’t climb out of themselves.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Have you ever felt “stuck” in a season where you didn’t know how to get out?
  • What does it mean to you that God doesn’t just notice your struggle but draws you out of it?
  • Who has God used in your life to “reach down” and help you in a hard season?
  • How does Psalm 40:2 change the way you see your current circumstances?
  • Where might God be trying to set your feet back on solid ground today?
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Rest for the Ringmaster

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Matthew 11:30 — For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.

I can just imagine if Martha in the Bible was working from home. She’d be juggling Zoom calls and laundry and snacks for the kids and a burnt pot of spaghetti, while muttering, “Did anyone else see that email? Jesus help me. Why are my co-workers not doing anything?”

But you know, when Martha went to Jesus about Mary, he didn’t roll his eyes at her. He didn’t shame her for caring too much or trying to hold everything together. He just reminded her of this…

You can still care deeply, but you can also take a breath. Sit at my feet and keep your eyes on me, because you don’t have to carry it all.

So, if you’re feeling like you’re the ringmaster juggling a circus, just pause. Have a seat. Leave it at the feet of Jesus. Pray. Ask Him for help. Simply say, “Lord, I am here. I’m taking a pause and being still. Help me, Jesus.”

And maybe the chaos won’t disappear immediately, but something inside you can finally loosen its grip because you were never meant to carry all of this alone. Remember, God is not demanding perfection from you.

He just wants you to notice that He is there in the middle of all of it with you—steady and unhurried, ready to carry what you were never meant to. His way of carrying life is lighter than the exhausting striving we so often choose.

So today, even if it’s just for a minute between the noise and the next thing calling your name, there’s an open place at His feet where you can rest. Go to Him, and let Him be strong for you.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What burdens have you been trying to carry entirely on your own?
  • In what areas of your life do you relate most to Martha right now?
  • What would it look like for you to pause and sit at Jesus’ feet this week?
  • Are you carrying responsibilities with Jesus—or just carrying them alone while hoping He helps?
  • How does remembering that Jesus’ burden is light change the way you approach stress and pressure?
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Honey for the Heart

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Proverbs 16:24 — Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.

I almost didn’t say anything. She looked polished. She looked confident, like the kind of woman who didn’t need anything from anyone, especially not from me.

But all week long, her name kept coming to mind—in the grocery store, during my quiet time, while folding laundry. When a name won’t leave you alone, it’s often not random—it’s an invitation to respond.

So when I saw her slipping out of church alone, I felt that quiet nudge saying, “Tell her.”

So I did.

I said to her, “I’ve been praying for you. God brought you to mind this week, and I just wanted you to know that you’re not forgotten.”

She smiled politely. She said, “Thank you,” and that was it. But as I watched her walk away, I saw something shift, like her shoulders softened a little—like someone had finally looked past the perfect hair and the smart heels and saw her.

Like a kind word had landed deeper than it sounded, settling in like sweetness where something had once been sour. The right words, offered at the right time, can taste like honey. They reach places we’ll never fully see, bringing comfort, healing, and hope to weary hearts.

That’s why we’re called to encourage each other and carry each other’s burdens. We never know what a small obedience will do, but sometimes the smallest words can speak the loudest love. A simple, obedient act of encouragement can lighten someone’s unseen burdens and quietly reflect Christ’s love.

So when that name comes to mind again, don’t ignore it. Lean into the nudge. Your small act of encouragement may become the very thing God uses to bring healing to someone who desperately needs it.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Has God ever placed someone on your heart unexpectedly?
  • When was the last time someone’s kind words deeply encouraged you?
  • Are there people around you who may look “fine” on the outside but still need encouragement?
  • What keeps you from speaking encouraging words sometimes?
  • Who could you intentionally encourage today with a text, prayer, or conversation?
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