Trust That God’s Working It Out | Steven Furtick
Life is full of moments when we find ourselves asking, “God, what are you doing?” Whether it’s challenges in our marriages, struggles with our health, uncertainty in our careers, or questions about our children, the feeling of not having all the answers is something we all share. Yet, as believers, God calls us not to stand still, but to keep moving forward in faith, even when the path doesn’t make sense. Today, let’s explore what it means to truly trust that God is working things out in our lives — even when we see only the underside of His masterpiece.
Keep Walking When You Don’t Understand
One of the most powerful lessons from Scripture is found in the lives of the disciples. They walked with Jesus day after day, often confused, at times astonished, but always moving forward. They were radically transformed by His presence, yet they didn’t always fully grasp God’s plan.
It’s a lot like us. We see only a small part of what God is doing, and it’s easy to compare our “behind-the-scenes” moments to someone else’s highlight reel. We envy others because we don’t realize the hidden battles they may be fighting. If we saw the whole story, we might feel differently about our own journey. The important thing isn’t having all the answers — it’s walking in faith, right where God leads.
Don’t Judge by What You See
Jesus instructed His followers not to judge based on appearances. Just as we can mistake someone else’s Instagram-perfect life for real perfection, we might misinterpret what’s really happening in our own story. There’s often much more beneath the surface — and everyone has an “underside” to their life. The trials, the mistakes, the “messy” parts — these are woven into the tapestry God is creating.
Holocaust survivor Corrie ten Boom shared a poem called The Weaver, which captures this truth beautifully. She describes how God is the Master Weaver, skillfully threading both bright and dark threads into the fabric of our lives. We don’t get to see the full design from our earthly perspective. It’s only when the weaving is finished that we’ll understand why every thread — even the painful ones — was necessary in God’s grand design.
The Story of Marriage: The Hidden Side
Think about marriage as an example. When you see an older couple celebrating a milestone anniversary, you see the smiles and joy. But every strong marriage has an “underside” — the arguments, the tough decisions, the moments of doubt. For example, maybe a couple has disagreements over something as trivial as furniture. They might argue about spending money on a coffee table, showing how differing values are woven together in marriage.
It’s the same with emotional intimacy, communication, and managing conflict. Things may look picture-perfect on the outside, but real relationships are built on trust, forgiveness, and a willingness to work through the messiness together. Don’t mistake the “highlight reel” for the whole reality — the underside matters just as much as the front.
Trust God With the Messy Parts
We naturally want a life that looks put together, but God often does His greatest work in the midst of our “mess.” The real challenge is learning to trust Him with the parts of our story that feel confusing, uncomfortable, or even ugly. The Apostle Paul reminds us that, “All things work together for good to those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
You may not see the pattern God is weaving right now. It might feel like nothing is making sense. But the “dark threads” — the pain, the setbacks, the unanswered questions — are just as essential to the masterpiece God is creating as the bright, golden threads of blessing.
Just as the disciples saw the cross and thought all was lost, God used the greatest tragedy to bring about the foundation of our salvation. The moments that make the least sense in the moment may turn out to be the ones God uses most powerfully in your story.
Don’t Quit in the Confusing Seasons
Looking back, you might recognize that some of your most confusing times were also periods when God was shaping you the most. Maybe you lost a job, faced a health crisis, or went through a painful breakup. In those seasons, God was working on the underside. If you give up too soon — if you walk away because you can’t see the finished picture — you risk leaving behind a miracle just because it feels messy right now.
Trust God with the underside of your life. When you don’t understand, keep walking. Let faith carry you through the lows so you can one day get to the “aha” moment — when you see God’s hand in it all.
The Crowd’s Cheers Don’t Last
When we read the Palm Sunday story, the crowds are full of excitement, waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” The palm branches symbolized victory, the welcoming of a conquering king. The people were convinced that Jesus would immediately bring them freedom and deliverance.
But Jesus knew something deeper. The same voices chanting “Hosanna” would soon be shouting “Crucify Him.” The crowd’s approval is fickle; what’s popular today may be abandoned tomorrow. As believers, we must root our identity not in public opinion, but in who we are to God. Don’t let your confidence rise and fall with the praise (or criticism) of others. Jesus was not controlled by the crowd — He moved forward in obedience to God, regardless of what people thought.
The Trap of Needing Others’ Approval
It’s a challenge in our social media age not to seek validation from “likes,” applause, and public recognition. But if we live for the praise of people, we’ll die by their criticism. Sometimes even those closest to us, including our own families, won’t understand the path
