Struggling to Trust God's Promises in Times of Uncertainty
Struggling to trust God's promises in times of uncertainty is a common human experience, reflected in various biblical texts and theological interpretations. The book of Deuteronomy speaks to this fear, noting that in times of distress, "Your life will hang in doubt before you. You will be afraid night and day, and will have no assurance of your life" [1]. This sentiment is echoed in the Psalms, where a lack of belief in God and His salvation is highlighted as a reason for distress [3].
The Bible frequently addresses the human tendency to waver in faith when faced with difficult circumstances. Josephus records an instance where the Israelites, despite Moses's encouragement and promises of deliverance, were so consumed by their incredulity and fear of destruction that they considered surrendering to the Egyptians [5]. Similarly, the prophet Zechariah notes that the remnant returning from captivity struggled to believe God's promises for their desolate city, limiting God's power by their own understanding [9].
The concept of "assurance" in Scripture refers to a "fulness of faith in God which leaves no room for doubt" [4]. This assurance is rooted in the conviction of the truth of God's declarations, leading to a joyful steadfastness [4]. However, maintaining this assurance can be challenging. The psalmist, for example, expresses a soul fainting and eyes failing while longing for God's salvation and the fulfillment of His word, indicating a struggle with deferred hope [11, 8]. John Gill interprets this as a desire for God to demonstrate His mindfulness of promises, especially when their accomplishment seems delayed and unbelief begins to prevail [12].
The Scriptures encourage believers to cast their cares upon God, emphasizing that overmuch care about earthly things is forbidden and that God's promises should free individuals from such anxiety [6]. Hope in God, in Christ, and in God's promises is presented as a work of the Holy Spirit, obtained through grace, the Word, and faith [7]. This hope is described as good, lively, sure, steadfast, and gladdening [7].
Conversely, placing confidence in an unfaithful person or in one's own policy and power is likened to a "broken tooth" or an "unsteady foot" that will fail in times of trouble, proving painful and vexatious [2, 10]. Job's friends, in their attempts to comfort him, were criticized for offering solace based on the possibility of recovery rather than the consolations of God's promises [13]. This highlights the importance of grounding trust in God's faithfulness rather than in uncertain human or worldly prospects.
Sources
- Deuteronomy “Your life will hang in doubt before you. You will be afraid night and day, and will have no assurance of your life. -- Deuteronomy 28:66”
- Proverbs “Proverbs 25:19 (NASB) — Like a bad tooth and an unsteady foot Is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.”
- Psalms “because they didn’t believe in God, and didn’t trust in his salvation. -- Psalms 78:22”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Assurance — The resurrection of Jesus (Acts 17:31) is the "assurance" (Gr. pistis, generally rendered "faith") or pledge God has given that his revelation is true and worthy of acceptance. The "full assurance [Gr. plerophoria, full bearing'] of faith" (Heb. 10:22) is a fulness of faith in God which leaves no room for doubt. The "full assurance of understanding" (Col. 2:2) is an entire unwavering conviction of the truth of the declarations of Scripture, a joyful steadfastness on the part of any one of conviction that he has grasped the very truth. The "full assurance ”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 15, section 3: of their freedom; and this so far, that their incredulity prompted them to throw stones at the prophet, while he encouraged them and promised them deliverance; and they resolved that they would deliver themselves up to the Egyptians. So there was sorrow and lamentation among the women and children, who had nothing but destruction before their eyes, while they were encompassed with mountains, the sea, and their enemies, and discerned no way of flying from them. 5. But Moses, though the multitude looked fiercely at him, did not, h”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Care, Overmuch — About earthly things, forbidden -- Mt 6:25; Lu 12:22,29; Joh 6:27. God's providential goodness should keep us from -- Mt 6:26,28,30; Lu 22:35. God's promises should keep us from -- Heb 13:5. Trust in God should free us from -- Jer 17:7,8; Da 3:16. Should be cast on God -- Ps 37:5; 55:22; Pr 16:3; 1Pe 5:7. An obstruction to the Gospel -- Mt 13:22; Lu 8:14; 14:18-20. Be without -- 1Co 7:32; Php 4:6. Unbecoming in saints -- 2Ti 2:4. Uselessness of -- Mt 6:27; Lu 12:25,26. Vanity of -- Ps 39:6; Ec 4:8. Warning against -- Lu 21:34. Sent as a punishment to”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Hope — In God -- Ps 39:7; 1Pe 1:21. In Christ -- 1Co 15:19; 1Ti 1:1. In God's promises -- Ac 26:6,7; Tit 1:2. In the mercy of God -- Ps 33:18. Is the work of the Holy Spirit -- Ro 15:13; Ga 5:5. Obtained through Grace. -- 2Th 2:16. The word. -- Ps 119:81. Patience and comfort of the Scriptures. -- Ro 15:4. The gospel. -- Col 1:5,23. Faith. -- Ro 5:1,2; Ga 5:5. The result of experience -- Ro 5:4. A better hope brought in by Christ -- Heb 7:19. Described as Good. -- 2Th 2:16. Lively. -- 1Pe 1:3. Sure and steadfast. -- Heb 6:19. Gladdening. -- Pr 10:28. Blessed. -- Tit ”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 119:78: Mine eyes fail for thy word,.... Either with looking for the Messiah, the essential Word, that was to be, and afterwards was made flesh, and dwelt among men; or for the fulfilment of the word of promise, on which he was made to hope; but that being deferred; and he believing in hope against hope, and looking out continually till it was accomplished, his eyes grew weary, and failed him, and he was just ready to give up all expectation of it; see Psa 77:8; saying, when wilt thou comfort me? The people of God are sometimes very disconsolate, and need comforting, thro”
- Zechariah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Zechariah 8:6: However impossible these things just promised by Me seem to you, they are not so with God. The "remnant" that had returned from the captivity, beholding the city desolate and the walls and houses in ruins, could hardly believe what God promised. The expression "remnant" glances at their ingratitude in rating so low God's power, though they had experienced it so "marvellously" displayed in their restoration. A great source of unbelief is, men "limit" God's power by their own (Psa 78:19-20, Psa 78:41). these days--"of small things" (Zac 4:10), when s”
- Proverbs (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Proverbs 25:19: 1. The confidence of an unfaithful man (so some read it) will be like a broken tooth; his policy, his power, his interest, all that which he trusted in to support him in his wickedness, will fail him in time of trouble, Psa 52:7. 2. Confidence in an unfaithful man (so we read it), in a man whom we thought trusty and therefore depended on, but who proves otherwise; it proves not only unserviceable, but painful and vexatious, like a broken tooth, or a foot out of joint, which, when we put any stress upon it, not only fails us, but makes us feel from it, especiall”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:81: Here we have the psalmist, I. Longing for help from heaven: My soul faints; my eyes fail. He longs for the salvation of the Lord and for his word, that is, salvation according to the word. He is not thus eager for the creatures of fancy, but for the objects of faith, salvation from the present calamities under which he was groaning and the doubts and fears which he was oppressed with. It may be understood of the coming of the Messiah, and so he speaks in the name of the Old Testament church; the souls of the faithful even fainted to see that salvation of which t”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 119:47: ZAIN.--The Seventh Part. ZAIN. Remember the word unto thy servant,.... The word of promise made unto him, concerning establishing his house and kingdom for ever; which he desires God would show himself mindful of in fulfilling it, and renew and confirm his faith in it, and give him some fresh assurance of the performance of it, Sa2 7:16. Not that God ever forgets his promise, or is unmindful of his word; but so it seems when he delays the accomplishment of it; and when unbelief prevails and doubts arise, and faith is not in lively exercise; and he has not so clear”
- Job (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Job 17:10: Job's friends had pretended to comfort him with the hopes of his return to a prosperous estate again; now he here shows, I. That it was their folly to talk so (Job 17:10): "Return, and come now, be convinced that you are in an error, and let me persuade you to be of my mind; for I cannot find one wise man among you, that knows how to explain the difficulties of God's providence or how to apply the consolations of his promises." Those do not go wisely about the work of comforting the afflicted who fetch their comforts from the possibility of their recovery and enlarg”