Have you ever felt like God’s timing and process for your life just don’t make sense?
You have big dreams and desires but the way forward seems unclear and uncomfortable.
Maybe you’re stuck in a difficult season of waiting, trials, or character refinement. Perhaps God has called you to surrender control or let go of something familiar.
Trusting the process requires tremendous faith. It means embracing temporary discomfort for eternal reward. But ultimately, it’s how God lovingly leads you into His purpose and transforms you into Christ’s image.
In this blog post, I’ll explore how to navigate God’s process with faith, hope, and trust.
My prayer is that it gives you insight and encouragement to trust God and keep moving forward in your journey!
God’s Process Has A Purpose
The first key to trust in God and His process is to understand that it has a divine purpose.
God promises in Romans 8:28 (ESV):
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
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He has meticulously designed a process to shape your character and make you ready for the destiny He has prepared for you.
It’s not random or punitive but carefully crafted for your maturity and blessing.
The process exposes your flaws and self-sufficiency so that you can learn to fully rely on Christ.
It refines away impurities and wrong mindsets that hinder you. God lovingly prunes and purges to make you more fruitful (John 15:2 ESV).
“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
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God works to transform you into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).
Your part is to submit patiently and trust God (the potter) as He shapes you (the clay) (Isaiah 64:8 ESV).
“But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter;
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we are all the work of your hand.”
The process prepares you for the destiny and blessings God has preordained according to His purpose.
You can have assurance that as you learn to trust His process and walk through it with faith, you’ll discover incredible fruit on the other side.
Letting Go and Looking Ahead
Two important keys to embracing God’s refining process are to let go of the past and keep your eyes fixed ahead.
You have to release your past failures, mindsets, hurts, and burdens that weigh you down.
Just as Paul said in Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV):
“13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
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Dwelling on past mistakes or limitations will hinder you from moving into the new things God has planned for you.
He wants to do a new work in and through you (Isaiah 43:19 ESV).
“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
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I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
It’s also important to keep your eyes focused on the goal ahead and the future God is leading you towards.
When you get distracted looking at yourself, others, or circumstances, it’s easy to lose heart.
However, maintaining a forward-looking vision fills you with hope and keeps you advancing even through difficulties.
Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) encourages:
“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
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Embracing the Discomfort
A vital aspect of God’s refining process that requires faith and trust is that it often involves trials, suffering, and discomfort.
In Hebrews 12:7-11 (ESV), the writer compares God’s loving discipline to a father who trains his children:
“7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
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While the refining process often feels unpleasant do not despise it or try to circumvent it. It’s carefully crafted for your good.
1 Peter 4:12 (ESV) exhorts,
“Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”
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Sometimes, God has to “break” you off self-reliance before He can freely bless you. But if you submit trustingly, the process will result in strength, fruit, and intimacy with Christ.
Trusting God’s Timing
One of the hardest parts of God’s process is His timing. He rarely does things according to your desired schedule.
But His timing is perfectly selected according to His wisdom and sovereignty.
When you try to rush ahead of God’s timing, you’ll often face negative consequences. Just as Abraham tried to fulfill God’s promise through his reasoning rather than waiting on God’s provision (Genesis 16).
Waiting on God demonstrates that you have faith in His plan. Isaiah 64:4 (ESV) says,
“From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.”
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God sees the full picture while we only see a small part.
Trusting His timing, even when it is slower than you desire, keeps you in pace with His purpose.
It builds spiritual maturity and aligns you with Christ who also waited patiently to fulfill God’s plan.
Key Takeaways:
- God’s process shapes you for your preordained destiny and blessings.
- Letting go of the past and looking ahead is essential.
- The process involves temporary trials and discomfort for your good.
- Waiting on God’s timing demonstrates faith in His wisdom.
- Embracing the process leads to spiritual maturity and fruitfulness.
Final Thoughts
Trusting God’s refining process is challenging but incredibly rewarding.
As you embrace temporary trials, and wait on God’s timing, you come to know Him deeply and step into His destiny with new strength and character.
May this article encourage you to trust God’s process in your own life and faith journey.
He is carefully crafting His purpose in and through you.
Keep your eyes fixed on Him, and you will emerge shining like gold (Job 23:10 ESV)!
“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.”
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How can I develop more trust in God’s process?
- Spend consistent time reading and meditating on Scripture to renew your mindset. Biblical truths shape our perspective on trials.
- Build your relationship with God through prayer. Share honestly and listen to His Spirit.
- Examine your core beliefs about God. Do you truly believe He is good, loving, and faithful?
- Look back at past seasons where you questioned God but later saw His purpose. This will help to build trust in Him.
- Surround yourself with faith-filled people who have walked through refinement and who can encourage you.
- Journal about the process to help you grow in gratitude and keep an eternal perspective.
Q. Why does embracing God’s process lead to spiritual growth?
Embracing the process develops spiritual growth because:
- It deepens your intimacy with Christ as you learn to rely on Him fully.
- Refinement prunes away sinful patterns and shapes godly character.
- You’ll discover the faithfulness of God in new ways when you surrender control.
- Waiting expands your spiritual capacity.
- Trials and suffering produce perseverance, maturity, and hope (Romans 5:3-4, James 1:2-4).
- It centers you in Christ instead of self (Philippians 1:21).
Q. How do I know if something is part of God’s process versus a consequence of my mistakes?
- Examine your heart before God. Are there any unconfessed sins or missteps He wants to reveal? If so, repent.
- Ask God for discernment through prayer and wise counsel. Share details objectively and ask for perspective.
- Reflect on any Scriptures or conversations with God related to your situation. Do these give you insight?
- Consider the fruit. Discipline from mistakes often leads to conviction and a renewed commitment to obey God.
- Think through the timeline. Did questionable decisions precede this difficulty? Or does it stem from walking uprightly?
- Remember God’s character. He convicts with love and redemption. The enemy condemns.
- Maintain humility. We can easily justify mistakes. However, viewing trials as God’s process promotes growth.
Q. What should I do when I feel like giving up on God’s process?
- Pour out your heart to God. He understands the struggle.
- Surround yourself with the truth. Immerse in worship and God’s Word to renew your mindset.
- Recall specific times God was faithful before. Thank Him for walking with you through past seasons.
- Share with trusted believers who will pray and encourage you. Their perspective can boost your hope.
- Take care of your physical needs. Rest, exercise, and healthy food will renew strength.
- Be patient. Feelings fluctuate. But God remains steady. Set small goals to persist.
- Remember you have eternal victory in Christ. These trials are just temporary (2 Corinthians 4:17).
