Font size: Medium ![Featured image for Trust God During Uncertainty in the Messy Middle Season - Blog article by Jeremy R DeYoung](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/w_800,h_800,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto/v1790655111/perspectivesintopractice/blog/trust-god-during-uncertainty-messy-middle-season-1790655110999.jpg) ![Jeremy R DeYoung - Author photo](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/w_48,h_48,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto/v1790924647/users/avatars/km0foxj46qychgqtvfsq.jpg) Jeremy R DeYoung October 7, 2026 # Trust God During Uncertainty in the Messy Middle Season 11 min read[Trusting God & Surrender](/blog/categories/trusting-god-surrender "View all posts in Trusting God & Surrender") [#Trust](/blog/tags/trust)[#Surrender](/blog/tags/surrender)[#Waiting](/blog/tags/waiting)[#Control](/blog/tags/control)[#Scripture](/blog/tags/scripture) Learn how to trust God during uncertainty by releasing control, resting in Scripture, resisting comparison, and taking one faithful step at a time. Share This Blog Share article on social media [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Trust%20God%20During%20Uncertainty%20in%20the%20Messy%20Middle%20Season&url=https%3A%2F%2Fperspectivesintopractice.com%2Fblog%2Ftrust-god-during-uncertainty-messy-middle-season)[Share on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fperspectivesintopractice.com%2Fblog%2Ftrust-god-during-uncertainty-messy-middle-season)[Share on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=Trust%20God%20During%20Uncertainty%20in%20the%20Messy%20Middle%20Season%20https%3A%2F%2Fperspectivesintopractice.com%2Fblog%2Ftrust-god-during-uncertainty-messy-middle-season) ## How to Trust God in the Messy Middle Without Forcing Clarity or Control Maybe you are living in an unfinished story right now. You have prayed, taken a few faithful steps, and still cannot see what comes next. Learning to trust God during uncertainty can feel especially difficult when you want a plan, a timeline, and some assurance that everything will work out. This article will help you rest in God’s character, recognize your next step, and release the pressure to control what He has not yet revealed. Listen: [Trusting God When You Don’t Know What’s Next: Rest... podcast episode](/podcast/trusting-god-when-you-dont-know-whats-next-rest-patience) There is a particular kind of tension that comes with the messy middle. The old season has changed, but the new one has not fully taken shape. You may sense God doing something, yet you cannot explain it. You may have an open door, but no clear map. You may be praying about your career, family, calling, or future and wondering why God keeps giving you only enough light for today. I understand the urge to ask for the whole picture. I like order. I like knowing what comes next and how each piece fits together. But God has reminded me more than once that I can trust the One leading me even when I cannot understand the road ahead. ## Why the Messy Middle Tests Our Trust In our recent conversation on the podcast, Dara described what it feels like to live in a season where God is moving, but the final outcome is still hidden. Her children are adults, her work and business are changing, and she is learning to wait in a deeper way. She said something that stayed with me: she wants God to do it right now, or even yesterday. I laughed because I know that feeling. I have prayed for God to show me the next step, and then quietly asked Him to show me the next ten steps too. I want the picture on the box, the timeline, and a little explanation for every surprise along the way. Yet the messy middle often reveals what is underneath our need for clarity. Are we looking for wisdom, or are we trying to feel safe through control? Are we asking God to lead us, or are we asking Him to approve a plan we have already made? These are honest questions, and they are not meant to shame us. They help us notice where our hearts need to return to God. Sometimes uncertainty exposes how much we have tied our peace to an outcome. A promotion, a relationship, a diagnosis, a ministry opportunity, or a financial answer can begin to feel like the thing that will finally make us okay. You may find it helpful to read about [what suffering reveals about misplaced trust article](https://perspectivesintopractice.com/blog/identifying-idols-suffering-what-pain-reveals-about-you) as you ask God to search your heart with grace. ## What Scripture Teaches About Trusting God During Uncertainty Proverbs 3:5-6 gives us a familiar direction: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will guide you on the right paths” (CSB). This passage does not tell us that understanding is bad. God gives us minds, wisdom, counsel, and the ability to make thoughtful decisions. It does remind us that our understanding is limited. We see one part of the story. God sees every part, including what we cannot yet imagine. Trusting God during uncertainty means I can use wisdom without worshiping my own ability to predict the future. I can make a budget, seek counsel, update my resume, have a hard conversation, or take a needed pause while still admitting that God is the One who directs my life. ### God Often Gives Enough Light for the Next Step Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path” (CSB). A lamp for your feet does not usually illuminate the entire road. It gives enough light to move forward safely. That image comforts me because it explains why God may not give us a complete plan. He may be forming patience before He changes the circumstance. He may be strengthening our faith before opening the next door. He may be protecting us from carrying information we are not ready to hold. As Jessica said in the episode, God may know we are not ready for the entire plan, which is why He gives us the next step instead. ## How to Trust God During Uncertainty in Daily Life Trust is not only a belief we hold in our minds. It becomes visible in our rhythms. It shows up in what we do with our mornings, our anxious thoughts, our conversations, and our decisions. ### 1\. Pause Before You Try to Solve Everything Dara encouraged listeners to pause and evaluate instead of racing through every responsibility. That can feel uncomfortable, especially when busyness has become our normal setting. But a pause gives us room to hear God, notice our motives, and recognize what deserves our attention today. Try taking five quiet minutes before you respond to a stressful message or make a major decision. Breathe. Pray honestly. Ask, “Lord, what are You inviting me to notice right now?” You may not receive a full answer, but you can begin to separate God’s leading from the noise of fear. For more simple rhythms, read these [practices for finding God through stillness article](https://perspectivesintopractice.com/blog/simple-practices-find-god-through-stillness-prayer). Stillness does not make you less productive. It helps you become more present to what God is doing. ### 2\. Return to Scripture Instead of Chasing Every Opinion There is no shortage of voices telling us what our lives should look like. Social media can make someone else’s breakthrough feel like evidence that we are behind. Advice from well-meaning people can leave us more confused than before. When I feel pulled in too many directions, I need to return to what God has already said. - Read a short passage slowly rather than rushing through several chapters. - Write down what the passage shows you about God’s character. - Ask how that truth applies to the next faithful choice in front of you. - Bring your questions to God instead of pretending you do not have them. God’s Word gives us a steady place to stand when our emotions keep changing. It also corrects us when our plans become more important than obedience. ### 3\. Build a Rhythm of Prayer and Reflection Dara shared that her daily devotion time includes prayer, reading the Bible, sitting quietly, and meditating on what God is showing her. These practices do not force God to speak on our schedule. They help us become attentive and available. You might keep a simple journal with three questions: What am I afraid of today? What is God reminding me about Himself? What is one step of obedience I can take? Over time, these entries can help you see patterns of God’s faithfulness that are easy to miss when you are focused only on what remains unresolved. When prayer feels difficult because you are tired or disappointed, you can also learn how to [pray when God feels silent article](https://perspectivesintopractice.com/blog/prayer-when-god-feels-silent-hope-weary-hearts). Honest prayer still counts as prayer. God is not asking you to perform certainty for Him. ### 4\. Invite Wise Community Into the Process We are not meant to make every decision alone. In the episode, Dara talked about how her husband helps her see what she cannot see in the moment. That kind of loving perspective can be a gift. We need people who will listen carefully, point us back to Scripture, and tell us the truth without adding fear. Who helps you slow down and see clearly? Is there a mature believer, pastor, mentor, or trusted friend you can invite into this season? Community does not replace prayer or Scripture, but it can help us recognize when anxiety is driving our choices. ## How to Stop Comparing Your Unfinished Story Uncertainty becomes heavier when we compare our lives with someone else’s progress. Another woman receives the opportunity you hoped for. Someone else seems certain about her calling. A friend’s family enters a new season while you are still waiting for change. Acts 14:15 stood out to Dara because Paul and Barnabas reminded the people, “We are people just like you” (CSB). Dara connected that verse to the idea that we are linked, not listed. We do not have to climb over one another to prove our worth. We can be connected, helping each other, while still following the particular path God has given each of us. Your life does not have to look like hers to be held by God. You can celebrate another woman’s answer and still bring your own disappointment to the Lord. You can learn from someone else’s calling without treating her timing as a deadline for your obedience. If comparison has made it hard to wait for your own assignment, spend time with these reminders about [God’s timing for your calling article](https://perspectivesintopractice.com/blog/gods-timing-my-calling-when-comparison-hurts). Your next step may look small, but small does not mean insignificant. ## How to Take the Next Step Without Taking Control Taking a next step requires courage, but it does not require a complete absence of fear. You may still feel nervous when you apply for the position, begin the conversation, set the boundary, rest from a responsibility, or say yes to an opportunity. Before you move, ask yourself a few practical questions: - Does this choice agree with what Scripture teaches? - Am I responding to God’s leading or trying to escape discomfort? - Have I prayed honestly about my motives and expectations? - Have I asked someone wise to help me see what I may be missing? - What is the next faithful action, without demanding the outcome? These questions will not give you control over the future. They can help you practice faithful obedience in the present. There is a difference between preparing responsibly and trying to make God’s plan happen through pressure. When you notice yourself grabbing the future again, return it to God. You may have to surrender the same fear more than once. That does not mean your faith is failing. It means you are learning to make surrender a rhythm. ## What Dara Taught Me About Resting in God One of my favorite images from the conversation was Dara describing complete rest, like floating in a pool with your body fully supported. That picture helped me think about what it means to rest in God’s Word. Rest is not giving up. It is releasing the pressure to carry what belongs to Him. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep the mind that is dependent on you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you” (CSB). The verse connects peace with dependence. We do not find lasting peace by predicting every outcome. We find it by bringing our minds back to the God who remains faithful when the outcome is still unknown. So take a pause today. Drink some water. Sit with the Lord before you fill the next empty space with noise. Ask Him to show you what is yours to do and what you need to leave in His hands. You may still have questions tomorrow. The story may still be unfolding. But God is not absent from the unfinished places. He is your good Father, and He is able to guide you one step at a time. As you continue learning to trust God during uncertainty, remember that you do not need to arrive with a polished testimony. You can meet God in the middle, while you are waiting, wondering, praying, and growing. Listen to the full episode, [“Trusting God When You Don’t Know What’s Next” podcast episode](https://perspectivesintopractice.com/podcast/trusting-god-when-you-dont-know-whats-next-rest-patience), for more encouragement from my conversation with Dara about rest, patience, and taking the next step. Then choose one perspective to put into practice today: pause, return to Scripture, ask for wise community, or take the next faithful step. 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Read related article: Christian Support in Crisis Shows Us Christ’s Love When Life Falls ](/blog/christian-support-in-crisis-shows-us-christs-love-when-life-falls) ## Listen to the Episode Trusting God When You Don’t Know What’s Next: Rest, Patience, and Taking the Next Step Audio player for Trusting God When You Don’t Know What’s Next: Rest, Patience, and Taking the Next Step Your browser does not support the audio element. [Listen or download audio](https://episodes.castos.com/67919520171485-95710309/2615587/c1e-x6996c1np0wtk3md8-rko80720tw3r-l4lemv.mp3) [View full episode details](/podcast/trusting-god-when-you-dont-know-whats-next-rest-patience)