3 Steps to Trusting God When You Doubt Your Purpose
I remember the moment when I said yes to a big life change. God had moved in my heart to quit my full-time job and begin work as a freelance journalist. The moment I made that decision, peace flooded my heart. Despite the fear of where this journey would take me, I knew I was walking in God’s purpose for me.
Everything felt right.
Until I began looking at worldly expectations instead of looking to Jesus.
I began focusing on numbers, on money and on the opinions of others. And I began questioning if I had heard God correctly.
Was this really His plan for me?
The peace that once flooded my heart spilled out from the pressure of the worldly expectations around me. I realized I had no idea why God called me to write.
And that scared me.
I began to believe that if I didn’t know all the specifics of my purpose, I couldn’t actually walk in it.
Have you struggled with this lie?
Because it is a lie. It’s a sneaky way Satan attempts to make us ineffective.
He whispers to us that we don’t actually know what God desires for us.
That we aren’t good enough to fulfill God’s purpose.
And if we don’t know the specifics and aren’t good enough, then we’re going to fail.
I became a professional at looking to that lie instead of to God’s truth.
I knew God had a purpose for me and that I was obeying Him in my work as a freelance journalist, but the lies made me begin doubting my abilities.
1 Peter 5 compares Satan to a roaring lion, roaming the earth looking for people to destroy. But this passage also reminds us we can resist him.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 5:6-11 NIV
Do you notice the truth here? When we humble ourselves to God’s purpose and resist believing the lies of the devil, God will restore us and enable us to stand firm.
But we must resist the lies.
3 Steps to Trusting God when You Doubt Your Purpose
Here are three ways we can trust God and resist the lies when we don’t know the every detail of God’s plan for us.
Tell God about your anxieties
God’s not afraid of our emotions. If He was, the book of Psalms certainly wouldn’t exist!
When the fear and anxiety of the unknown begin to overwhelm you and push out the contentment of peace, tell God about it. Pray over the specifics of your fears. Ask for peace and for wisdom.
God cares for you. He cares about your emotions and your desires. And if you desire to walk in His purpose, but fear maybe you’re missing the mark, He will provide you with comfort and wisdom.
He desires to walk with us through each step of the way. He wants to comfort you.
Write out Scripture for a sober mind
Nothing beats out the lies like the truth! We can’t expect to deflect Satan’s lies if we don’t know the truth.
This is why spending time reading, writing and memorizing Scripture proves vitally important. 1 Peter tells us to have a sober mind in order to stand against Satan’s schemes.
We have to be alert and aware of the truth so when the lies rush in, we’re prepared to stand firm and fight them.
Writing out Scripture can be extremely helpful with this. There’s something about the muscle memory of our brains telling our hands what letters to form on the page in front of us. Seeing our own handwriting expressing God’s Word.
It’s a powerful image.
What specific lies are you fighting in regards to your purpose right now? Search out truths from Scripture to combat those lies. Write them out and start believing those truths.
Talk with a trusted friend
Let’s not glance too quickly over the sentence in the 1 Peter passage that tells us we’re not alone in our sufferings. It’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting to think we’re alone.
When we begin to feel alone, we can start to feel sorry for ourselves.
If we’re alone, we can think nobody understands us.
Many times we believe being alone is easier than pursuing relationship. Yet when we isolate, there’s nobody around to tell us what we need to hear.
If you’re struggling to believe the truth that God has a purpose for you, talk with someone you trust about it. Maybe the people in your life won’t fully understand your fears, but they will be able to provide you with comfort.
And the really good friends will speak truth into your life.
The truth that even when you don’t know the specifics of where God is bringing you, it doesn’t mean God isn’t using you.
Don’t shy away from sharing your anxieties with a trusted friend. Sometimes it takes someone else speaking the truth audibly for us to really hear it.
Today, I choose to cast my anxieties on God.
I choose to believe the truth of Scripture over the lies of Satan.
I choose to enter into relationship and receive truth from another.
It’s difficult, dear friend, to look Satan’s lies in the face and stand firm. But there is such freedom in choosing truth. There is such freedom in trusting God’s purpose for you even when you can’t see the full picture.
Will you allow the truth to set you free today?
Emily Saxe was born and raised on the east coast but currently resides in Indiana with her husband. Working as a full-time freelance writer and editor, her heart and her pen are drawn to stories of faith as she helps people share how God is working in their lives. Everyone has a story to tell, and Emily loves helping to give people a voice to share their own story. Read more of Emily’s articles on her website, To Unearth
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Thanks so much for having me! It’s wonderful to share what God is teaching me to encourage others. 🙂 I appreciate all you do to further God’s kingdom!
I love that you let Emily share some wisdom on your site Alisa. This is so good and I have found after I left my cushy executive level job to pursue life in ministry that she is SPOT ON! 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed reading, Nicki! Those life steps can be so hard, but so rewarding!
This is so true! The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy so we must be on alert. Thank you for this encouraging post.
Yes, but thankfully the Holy Spirit at work in us is greater than the enemy. So thankful this encouraged you, Tona!
Hi Emily. You address an important point that we can get caught up in and shot down by things that just aren’t true. It’s great that you suggest knowing the Bible and (I infer) trusting God’s plan that He put in our hearts. I remember a passage that Peggy Bodde referred to (Psalm 119) in her post about living through difficulties where God determined His plan for us even before we were born. Since this is true, we know He will unfold that plan as we listen. Thank you for those pot..
Thanks, Stephen! Yes, knowing the Bible is so important to trusting and obeying God. I’m so thankful God has a plan for us!
So fun to see Emily writing here today! I love the tip to write scripture. I use writing scripture to help me soak it in, but haven’t used it while feeling this way, to force out lies. What a great way to He the resources God gives for His glory!
Hi Elaine! Writing out Scripture to combat lies has certainly helped me throughout the years. I hope you find it encouraging to your spirit!
Hi Emily!!
I tried to leave a comment on your site too, but was suspected as a bot again. :/
Such great encouragement, Emily! And how fun to see you over at Alisa’s!!
Walking in faith is rarely ever easy, (at least not for me anyway). It takes risk, courage, and trust. It’s so frustrating how Satan can so easily cause us to doubt God’s plan and purpose for us!
Focusing upward and keeping our eyes on Jesus, is the best thing we can do when doubt or confusion begins to creep in. So glad you followed the Lord’s call!!
Sorry about that, Rachel! My anti-spam can be frustrating at times! You’re so right – following Jesus when we don’t know the plan is a difficult thing. I’m glad this encouraged you, and I hope you’re able to walk forward each day with confidence!
This was really good Alisa! I have just started to really dive more and more into your blog and I love the content you have!
Hi im so encouraged ny this blog thank you for years years have been a carer
I.e after husband returned home
I found myself on hyperalert all the time
He had a fall today but with prayer got him to a safe place thank you lord
I feel stuck now great need of gida help
Feeling frustrated i was able to confess lord there are illnesses in the family BUT i know youve calked me to also support missionary in India also the great delight to be able to pray add a little to Israel for new testments being dustributed
For many years on my heart to support
The good news reaching the pesecuted church
Just recently i found nyself getting so frustrated anxious i know god is wanting me to let go ….although i take care of my husband i have drifted from spending quality time in the bible giving me scripture to sttrengthen me a slid back wards i try to encourge my husband who is a christian but feel im wearing myself out
And whilst caring about family i need to learn to let go trust god more
To do that i know i need to come back and meditate on his word as the anxiety got worst i recall your words loudly the enemy comes to steal kill distroy and found myself burnt out instead of reading praying his word i had got stuck in over worryijg
Causing me to doubt fear more than trust
I felt by reading your words i need to be able to empty myself out to god keep surrendering these cares to god
I had list my peace joy that comes from that intimacy with god wasting time in judt being busy busy the frustration grew i remember the words a divided heart caught up with the cares of the world gid cares about my family but fill a pull om my heart to let them go into his hand and pursue what is reallly in my heart i get such a delight in supporting the ministry of releasing the gospel where its most needed ..but had come put of the zoom meetings for India because i waant sure about leaving my husband for that time
I remember saying lord i need to get to the next bible study and i have been to church a few times but its so easy as you say to become isolated and i need to be with other belivers too i miss that and do get confused now wondering if its safe to leave my husband god has given me the grace to go amd my husband has been ok
Dear lord please forgive me for being double minded and also carrying burdens i cant carry anymore i have neglected your word ask the holy spirts help to get my mind back on to your word
I remember the hymn turn your eyes upon Jesus look into his wonderful face and the cares of the world will grow slowly dim in the sight if his glorious face so thars my prayer for myself for my family they too would have their own personel encounter with Jesus dear lord please help me to return to your word encorage myself
Maybe like David the psalms flood my mind with your light lord Jesus sttengthen me from within be the person you made me to be letting go letting go lord help me trust you with ALL my anxieties let you be the treasure in my heart thank you lord